From: hubermanlab
Breathwork is an integral part of meditation that can significantly influence the mental and physiological states of the practitioner. This article explores the dimensions of breathwork in meditation as discussed in the Huberman Lab Podcast hosted by Andrew Huberman, a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.
Understanding Breathwork
Breathwork refers to various types of breathing exercises that can be integrated within meditation practices. Breath becomes a focal point, transitioning the practitioner’s state by directing their physiological response. The way one breathes during meditation can determine whether the experience is calming, energizing, or something else breathwork and mental state.
Inhales vs. Exhales
In the podcast, Huberman explains that focusing on longer or more vigorous inhales will tend to increase alertness, while longer exhales contribute to relaxation. This is primarily due to interaction with particular brain stem nuclei that either increase or decrease activity in stress-related systems depending on the breathing pattern used ([01:32:18]).
Inhale-Exhale Dynamics
To increase alertness, make your inhales more vigorous or longer than your exhales. For calming effects, extend your exhales.
Types of Breathwork in Meditation
Although often part of meditation, breathwork has its distinct practices. Discussed were:
- Cyclic Breathing: Regular patterns of inhales followed by exhales.
- Box Breathing: Equal lengths of inhaling, holding the breath, exhaling, and another hold.
- Non-cyclic Breathing: Incorporates variations such as double inhales and extended exhales.
Each type of breathwork provides unique shifts in the practitioner’s focus and physiological state, impacting interoception (internal body awareness) and exteroception (external awareness).
The Role of Respiratory Patterns
Huberman discusses how different patterns and control of breathing can effectively manipulate an individual’s internal state. Deliberate breath control can lead to heightened interoceptive awareness, enhancing focus on internal sensations ([01:28:03]). For example, slower, deeper breathing is often used in practices geared toward reducing stress and enhancing relaxation.
Deliberate Breathwork
Controlled breathing during meditation can shift your focus to internal states, promoting relaxation or alertness based on the chosen pattern.
Breathwork’s Impact
The manipulation of breathing patterns influences levels of stress hormones, specifically cortisol. For example, deliberate breathing can lower stress response levels, potentially replacing some of the restorative benefits usually gained from sleep ([02:07:00]).
Moreover, breathwork can serve as a foundation for developing enhanced control over one’s physiological state, promoting either a calming or an alerting effect, depending on the intent of the practitioner breathing techniques to control stress.
Breathwork as Meditation
Huberman suggests that breathwork by itself can function as a meditative practice. When breathwork is used as a focal point of meditation, it can help train the practitioner in interoceptive awareness, assisting in focusing on internal bodily sensations while reducing attention to the external surroundings ([01:37:27]).
Combining with Traditional Meditation
In traditional meditation, breath is often used simultaneously with other focal points, such as a third-eye focus or full-body scan, providing more robust benefits by utilizing both positions along the interoception-exteroception continuum.
Conclusion
Breathwork is a powerful tool that enhances the meditative experience, enabling practitioners to navigate between states of alertness and calmness effectively. By understanding and manipulating their breath patterns, practitioners can harness these physiological shifts to realize specific goals, whether in focus, stress reduction, or overall well-being.
Overall, Huberman provides a nuanced view of how leveraging breathwork within meditation can offer profound benefits in both mental and physical domains, emphasizing its versatility and applicability.