The Science of Breathing

We are lucky that our breath is controlled by our autonomic nervous system, which functions just like it sounds – automatically! Imagine having to tell your body to breathe in and out all the time, you’d never be able to get anything else done!  The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls body functions at rest (breathing, digestion, heart rate) is called the parasympathetic nervous system. For a quick science lesson (I will always be an anatomy nerd NP), let’s go quickly into our brains to understand how we breathe in the first place. The medulla, a circular bulge that connects your brain to your spinal cord, is the part of your brain responsible for regulating the body functions at are involuntary, continuous, and life-sustaining like the breath and heartbeat. The medulla receives messages from your body (the how is too science-y, I won’t go there) that identify when you need more or less oxygen and carbon dioxide. These messages communicate in the respiratory center to decide your breathing rate and depth. Using breathwork you begin to override your own medulla in a way and control the ins and outs of your breath. By bringing your attention and concentration to your breathing, a function normally completed automatically, you are participating in breathwork.

Breathwork as Meditation and Spiritual Practice

Breathwork has been highly regarded by the meditation and spiritual community as a form of mindfulness, and this is not a new development. People have been practicing breathwork since the dawn of time. Your breath is your life force, your energy, chi, or prana. By practicing breathwork you are harnessing the power of your breath which enables you to connect to your heart, your head, and your spirit.

During breathwork you are bringing awareness to you all parts of your body involved in respiratory function – your lungs, chest, back, belly, and mind. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system to decrease the bodily demand on your body. This allows for slowing of the respiratory and heart rates and decreasing your blood pressure to establish a feeling of peace and calm. When feelings of peace and calm flood your body, your mind acclimates as well. A peaceful and calm body and mind facilitates physical and emotional healing. There is a myriad of benefits to breathwork, most of which are listed and described in this book. A few to name include increased self-awareness, stress reduction, decreased depression and anxiety.

If you are interested in learning more about breathwork I encourage you to rent or buy this book and check out these other articles I referenced while writing this post.

https://chopra.com/articles/how-breathwork-benefits-the-mind-body-and-spirit

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/breathwork