Effects Of Breathing On The Brain
The brain is one of the most important organs in our body and, in turn, the most sensitive. It is subject to all the changes that occur in the body, such as glucose levels, heart rate, and so on. The effects of breathing on the brain are also very important.
Breathing is the process by which we obtain oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide through the lungs. Oxygen is essential for all reactions that allow us to live and function properly.
It is an involuntary mechanism, which means that, in most cases, we do it unconsciously, without paying attention to it. At the same time, we can control our breathing.
The effects of breathing on the brain have been studied in recent years. This has allowed us to develop breathing techniques that can help us in many aspects of our life. We talk about it in the following lines.
What are the effects of breathing on the brain?
For centuries, particularly in the East, great importance has been given to breathing . Breathing, in fact, has become the protagonist of meditation techniques and of various disciplines such as yoga.
The effects of breathing on the brain were unknown until relatively recently. Research conducted at Stanford University has shown that the relationship between breathing and relaxation has a scientific basis, starting from brain mechanisms.
Although we know that deep breathing is recommended for coping with stress or panic, the mechanism by which breathing acts as “calming” was unknown until now. This research has shown the existence of a special group of neurons in the brain.
There are about 350 neurons distributed throughout the central nervous system that are activated the faster you breathe. This data is important because the aforementioned neurons send stimuli to other parts of the brain.
These areas are related to the feeling of panic, stress and sleep. One of the effects of breathing on the brain is therefore directly related to these sensations.
What are the implications of these findings?
These effects of breathing on the brain allow us to analyze this physiological mechanism and adapt it to every moment of our life. As we have already said, breathing slowly and calmly decreases the activation of the aforementioned neurons.
In this way, we can lower the levels of stress and anxiety . Indeed, it can also help us manage panic situations much more effectively. This breathing is called controlled, rhythmic or deep and is based on taking a breath with the diaphragm instead of moving the chest.
Precisely this breathing is performed in yoga and meditation. Beginning with deep breathing, breathing techniques for childbirth have also been developed, which help to better endure labor and delivery.
On the other hand, we can exploit the effects of breathing on the brain in the opposite direction as well . In other words, we can breathe faster and with greater agitation to activate the brain . Logically, however, it is more common to resort to conscious breathing to achieve calm.
In conclusion
Like any other organ in our body, the brain needs oxygen to perform its functions . The latest research, however, has shown that there is another effect of breathing on the brain.
Some neurons have been discovered that fire more when we breathe faster. These are related to the levels of stress and fear. As a result, c heck breathing can be a useful weapon to deal with stressful situations in our daily lives.
We must therefore learn to control breathing. Many people have specialized in this, they know disciplines such as meditation and can teach us to control our breathing.
The idea is to be aware of the importance of our breath on the brain. And, starting from that, observe the way we breathe and start practicing deeper and slower breathing. These techniques can help us control our emotions.
