The Neuroscience of Breath: How to Use Breathing to Control Your Emotions
Have you ever noticed how your breath changes when you’re stressed?
Maybe it becomes shallow and quick, or perhaps you even hold your breath without realizing it.
What if I told you that understanding and controlling your breath could be one of the most powerful tools for managing your emotions?
Today, we’ll explore the science behind how breathing influences your brain and emotional state.
The Science of Breathing
Our autonomic nervous system has two main branches:
1. The sympathetic system (fight or flight)
2. The parasympathetic system (rest and digest)
These two systems function like our body’s gas pedal and brake. At the center of this system is the vagus nerve, which acts as an information transporter between the brain and body.
When we consciously take slow, controlled breaths, we send calming signals through this nerve, regulating stress hormones like cortisol and increasing GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes calmness. This is why deep breathing can almost instantly make you feel more relaxed.
The Role Of Breathing On Mind And Body
Our breath is more than just an automatic function- it is the foundation of our existence and has a direct influence on our mind and body. As discussed above, when we take slow, deep breaths, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation, lowers stress and balances emotions. In contrast, a shallow or rapid breath can trigger the body’s stress response, increasing anxiety and tension.
Controlled breathing techniques, such as deep belly breathing or box breathing, help regulate stress hormones, improve oxygen flow to the brain and enhance focus. When combined with mindfulness, they create a powerful combination that can significantly boost our quality of life.
By consciously adjusting our breath, we can not only calm the nervous system but also improve mental clarity and strengthen emotional resilience.
Regular breathwork practice offers countless benefits- it helps manage daily stress, supports long-term well-being, improves heart rate variability, stabilizes mood and enhances self-awareness. Simply put, the way we breathe has a profound impact on both our mental and physical health.
Four Key Benefits Of Controlled Breathing
💭 Emotion Regulation: A slow, deep breath stabilizes carbon dioxide levels, reduces amygdala reactivity (your brain’s stress alarm) and calms your emotions, helping you feel your best in every moment of life.
💭 Cognitive Function: Proper breathing increases oxygen delivery to the prefrontal cortex, enhancing clarity of thought.
💭 Body Awareness: Focused breathwork improves interoception (your ability to sense internal bodily states), helping you stay grounded in the present moment.
💭 Stress Reset: A deep diaphragmatic breath accelerates cortisol clearance, resetting your stress response. A well-regulated nervous system, indicated by higher heart rate variability, strengthens emotional resilience.
3 Effective Breathing Techniques
Here are my top three picks for the most effective breathing techniques that have worked beautifully in realigning my energy and restoring my balance:
💨 Box Breathing: It is a simple yet powerful technique that helps calm the mind and reduce stress. All you have to do is inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4 and hold again for 4. This steady breathing pattern activates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and supports lymphatic drainage.
Repeating this cycle a few times helps the mind and body feel more relaxed and focused. This technique is widely used by athletes, military personnel, and anyone looking to manage stress quickly.
💨 4-7-8 Breathing: This simple yet effective technique reduces stress and improves sleep. Here’s how it works:
Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Exhale for 8 seconds
The extended exhale strongly triggers the body’s relaxation response, slowing the heart rate and calming the mind. Practicing it regularly reduces anxiety and enhances overall well-being.
💨 Resonance Breathing: Also known as coherent breathwork, this technique synchronizes your breath with your heart rate, promoting relaxation and emotional balance.
Simply inhale through your nose for 5 seconds and exhale through your nose for 5 seconds. Repeat this slow inhalation and exhalation at a rate of six breaths per minute. Practicing it daily can lead to long-term emotional resilience and overall well-being.
When to Use These Breathing Techniques
💭 Use box breathing when you need to stay calm under pressure, like before a presentation or during a stressful situation. It helps center your mind and enhance focus.
💭 Try 4-7-8 breathing when anxiety strikes, as it quickly soothes the nervous system and promotes relaxation. This technique is especially useful before bedtime to improve sleep quality.
💭 Practice resonance breathing during your morning routine or when transitioning between activities for a long-term stress reset. It helps maintain emotional balance and keeps you grounded throughout the day.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
💨 Don’t force your breath- aim for gentle control, not strain.
💨 Don’t expect instant perfection; breathwork takes practice. Keep working on it!
💨 Avoid waiting until you’re extremely stressed to practice- start when you’re calm to build the skill. If possible, add it to your daily routine.
💨 Don’t assume that practicing for just a minute is enough. Practice for at least a few minutes to give your mind and body the time they need to fully process and benefit from it.
Breathwork is a simple, always-available tool that can shift your psychological state in just seconds. Our entire existence depends on our breath, which is why I encourage you to experiment with these breathwork techniques and experience how beautifully they can help you manage stress.
Please note: If you have any medical conditions that affect your breathing, consult your doctor before trying these techniques.
And for now, exhale all the negativity and replace it by inhaling positivity. Want to make it even better? Just smile while doing it!
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