A Slow Breathing Pill?
A recent study conducted by neuroscientists at the Salk Institute sought to explore neural pathways and brain circuits responsible for voluntary control of your breath and their link to emotional and behavioral states.
The researches were able to identify the specific brain circuit that allows voluntary control of breathing —which also provides better control over emotional and behavioral states. This same circuit slows breathing under calm conditions and accelerates it under anxiety.
Experiments in mice showed activating this circuit reduced anxiety, while shutting it off increased stress.
The findings provide sound neurological benefits from yoga and breathing practices and how they benefit mental well-being, though this is not why money was spent on these studies. Scientists aim to develop drugs that could stimulate this circuit to regulate breathing and alleviate stress(!). https://neurosciencenews.com/breath-emotion-anxiety-28077/
I get it, anxiety is higher than ever. Wars, politics, environmental toxins, inflammatory foods, screens, social media, financial stress, work stress, are all contributing factors. Big pharma does not offer a risk-free cure, and what are the side effects going to be from this new slow breathing pill?
What is interesting, prior to this research science believed the breath and emotion link was in the prefrontal cortex. This now points to coordination between the higher brain regions and lower brainstem areas (where the stress response is housed) in maintaining emotional balance. Coordination between all areas of the brain is the focus in many yogic practices.
During anxiety the communication between the forebrain and brainstem gets skewed, if we are not aware of our breathing it will result in shallow quicker breaths further exacerbating the anxiety. We can consciously shift the rhythm and rate of our breath to create both physical and mental calm, offering us a bit of control over anxiety.
This research underscores the importance of breath awareness. Yogis have used slow breathing to regulate emotions without science to explain the underlying neurological process for millennia. As we know:
- Fast, shallow breathing reflects being anxious…but it can also cause anxiety.
- Slow, deep breathing reflects being calm…but it can also create calm and relaxation.
Why wait for pharmaceuticals???
Other references:
“The respiratory-neural connection seems to have particularly strong effects on emotions: slow respiration protocols like resonance respiration exert a relaxing and calming effect, while faster respiration tends to induce anxiety states.” – Neuroscience Bulletin (2023)
“Parasympathetic dominance can occur through slowing and/or controlling breath…Most contemplative practices share the commonality of slowed breathing, either intentionally, or as a consequence of the calming practice.” – Psychological Review (2024)
How the loving kindness meditation changes key brain regions that regulate anxiety and depression
A fascinating new study from Mount Sinai researchers has provided the first direct evidence of how the loving kindness meditation affects deep brain regions critical for emotional regulation and memory.
This research was done on humans (epilepsy patients) with implanted electrodes. The research showed how even first time meditators had a shift in brain waves showing increased gamma waves and altered beta waves. Beta brain waves are often disrupted in mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
Gamma waves are the “new brainwaves on the block” — we are just starting to study them. They are subtle, they modulate perception and increased consciousness. Gamma waves are more active in states of love and altruism —when we have concern for the wellbeing of others. Which makes sense when are sending loving kindness to anyone, it would increase these brainwaves.
Gamma waves are our brain waves of higher consciousness and happiness —and now we have research showing the loving kindness meditation increases gamma waves.
The study was conducted in a way that allowed participants to meditate naturally, making the findings particularly relevant to real-world practice.
Yet another study on yoga practices and anxiety.
In further exploration of how physical changes affect mental health, a narrative review explored how stiffness of your torso —lack of range of motion in your upper body influences feelings of anxiety — but it’s not just stiffness it’s how the stiffness affects blood flow. Muscle tension impacts blood flow. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11563814/
When someone is anxious their body often tenses up restricting blood flow back to the heart reducing the amount of blood pumped with each beat.
Less blood pumped with each beat equals reduced oxygen and nutrient delivery to vital organs, contributing to the physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heart rate and shortness of breath.
It’s not just yoga stretches that reduces torso stiffness but most any exercise including cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercise helps by increasing heart rate and promoting better blood circulation throughout your body. When blood flows more freely your body is better able to respond to stressors.
Additionally exercise movement combined with breathing techniques showed even more improvement by lowering anxiety and reducing oxidative stress from exercise.
Nasal breathing is not just for your yoga mat! Nasal breathing during any exercise (and all day long) filters, humidifies, and warms the air before it reaches your lungs. Especially important is how nasal breathing lowers oxidative stress from exercise. Oxidative stress is an undesirable side effect of exercise, being able to reduce this makes our exercise even more beneficial.
Nasal breathing also facilitates better oxygen uptake and regulates carbon dioxide levels. Carbon dioxide is calming to your body and mind.
Be careful not to take deep vertical breaths during exercise — this triggers stress. Instead take slower nasal breaths and think of breathing more horizontally in the body. This means expanding your ribcage sideways —horizontal breathing promotes relaxation by avoiding the activation of stress pathways in your nervous system.
Consistently practice controlled breathing exercises to rewire your brain into a calm way of breathing. A good breathing practice is what is called resonance breathing — this is breathing at a rate of 5-7 breaths per minute or approximately a 4-5 second inhale and a 5-7 second exhale. This count does not have to be exact — just count out about a 5 second inhale and a 7 second exhale for about 15 breaths which is about three minutes.
Just three minutes per day will start the process of training your body to breathe better.
And remember the element of vinyasa — move your body in rhythm with your breath. Your brain is constantly monitoring your movements, including your breath movement and synchronizing brain activity with each breath.
This breath-body-brain awareness may help to coordinate movement and sensory perception with your breathing rhythm helping your body and brain work together more smoothly, improving coordination.