The Science Behind Breathing
Dive deeper into the science behind breathwork and discover how a few minutes of breathing a day can have a huge impact on your life.
When we feel like we've "hit a wall" during intense physical activity, it’s often not our muscles that give out first — it’s our lungs that can’t keep pace with the oxygen demand. This highlights how crucial respiratory efficiency is for endurance.
Elite athletes often train at high altitudes to boost their VO₂ max (the maximum rate at which oxygen can be absorbed and used during exercise.) But you don’t need a mountain to benefit. Breathing techniques that create intermittent low-oxygen conditions, known as intermittent hypoxic training, have been shown to enhance aerobic capacity and stamina (source).
Another simple but powerful way to improve oxygen uptake is by breathing through the nose. Nasal breathing naturally supports more efficient oxygen exchange and has been associated with improved VO₂ max during exertion (source).
Poor sleep has been linked to imbalances in the autonomic nervous system, particularly involving reduced vagal nerve activity. Breathing techniques that emphasize longer exhales (or even soft vocalizations like humming) may help stimulate vagal tone, supporting better regulation of the nervous system and, by extension, more restful sleep (source).
These techniques promote parasympathetic activation (the part of the nervous system responsible for rest, digestion, and recovery) while dialing down the fight-or-flight sympathetic response. This shift is known as the relaxation response, and research suggests it can improve both sleep onset and sleep continuity (source, source).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25234581/
Nasal breathing plays a surprising role in cardiovascular health, thanks in part to a molecule called nitric oxide. This gas is naturally produced in the paranasal sinuses and released during nasal inhalation.
Nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator (meaning it helps widen blood vessels) which supports better circulation and oxygen delivery throughout the body.
Research has shown that slow, controlled breathing practices, like those found in yogic traditions, can positively influence the autonomic nervous system, contributing to lower blood pressure and improved heart rate regulation (source, source).
Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the subtle differences in timing between each heartbeat.
A higher HRV is generally considered a marker of better resilience and nervous system balance and has been linked to benefits ranging from enhanced athletic performance to improvements in conditions like asthma and irritable bowel syndrome (source).
One simple way to support HRV is through slow, paced breathing (specifically, around 6 breaths per minute.)
This type of breathing encourages parasympathetic activation and has been shown to increase HRV over time (source).