From: hubermanlab
Breathing, a seemingly simple and automatic process, is crucial not only for life but also for optimal organ health, focus, sleep, and stress management. Dr. Jack Feldman, a distinguished professor of neurobiology at UCLA, has pioneered research in understanding the intricate neuroscience behind breathing and its profound impact on human physiology and mental state neuroscience and brain function. This article delves into the key aspects of how our brain regulates breathing and how different breathing patterns influence our mental and physical well-being.
Brain Areas Controlling Breathing
Dr. Feldman identified two critical brain centers in the brainstem that are responsible for controlling various patterns of breathing: the pre-Bötzinger complex and the parafacial respiratory group.
Pre-Bötzinger Complex
The pre-Bötzinger complex is crucial for generating rhythmic breaths that sustain life breathing and cognitive function. Each breath begins with neurons in this region becoming active, subsequently stimulating motor neurons that trigger inspiratory muscles such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles to work. These inspiratory efforts lead to the mechanical expansion of the lungs, allowing air to flow in. Once these neurons stop firing, the muscles relax, and a passive exhale occurs, highlighting the intrinsic rhythm of life-dependent breathing ([00:15:12]).
Parafacial Respiratory Group
Dr. Feldman’s work also uncovered a second oscillator, the parafacial respiratory group, which primarily regulates active expiration, crucial during periods of increased metabolic demand such as exercise exercise physiology and health benefits. This group becomes active to boost expiratory efforts beyond passive exhalation by recruiting muscles like the internal intercostals and abdominals ([00:20:24]).
Breathing and Its Influence on Brain State
The act of breathing does more than just provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide; it influences our brain states and emotional responses role of emotions and the nervous system.
Emotion Regulation
Breathing patterns can modulate brain oscillations and influence states like focus, calmness, and even stress breathing techniques to control stress. For instance, the practice of deliberate breathing, like sighing, is essential for maintaining lung health and provides acute stress-modulating effects physiological sighs and lung health. Feldman’s research points to how frequent sighing helps re-inflate collapsed alveoli in the lungs, ensuring efficient gas exchange and reducing stress levels ([00:41:41]).
Ascending and Descending Pathways
Research by Dr. Feldman and others shows that breathing can affect brain areas like the locus coeruleus, impacting neurochemical pathways associated with arousal and mood regulation. Conversely, emotional states descending from higher brain areas like the amygdala can alter breathing patterns role of amygdala in emotional processing and social behavior, linking brain activity with respiratory patterns in a bi-directional manner ([01:01:01]).
Practical Implications of Breathing Neuroscience
Understanding the neuroscience of breathing has practical applications improving breathing mechanics for endurance training. Through breathwork, one can leverage specific breathing protocols to achieve desired mental states, such as increasing focus or calming the mind.
Personalized Breathwork Protocols
Dr. Feldman shares how breathwork can be tailored to suit individual needs, from reducing stress to enhancing high-performance tasks or sleep quality. Protocols like box breathing or Tummo breathing can be adapted based on the scientific understanding of one’s current physiological and psychological state breathwork practices and health benefits ([00:59:57]).
Conclusion
The neuroscience of breathing reveals a complex interplay between the brain and body, emphasizing the role of controlled breathing in optimizing not just physical health, but mental acuity and emotional balance mind-body connection and health. Dr. Jack Feldman’s groundbreaking work continues to illuminate the pathways and mechanisms through which breathing acts as a powerful tool for enhancing everyday life breathwork and mental state. Whether through structured breathing routines or simple, mindful breath aware moments, understanding this connection can lead to improved quality of life.
Further Exploration
For those interested in delving deeper into the practical applications of breathing science, Dr. Feldman’s involvement with breathwork communities like Our Breath Collective offers resources and protocols designed to expand knowledge and practice in this growing field.