Breathing and the Nervous System

Breathing is closely connected with the autonomic nervous system, which regulates many of the body’s functions without conscious effort. Changes in our state are accompanied by changes in breathing: when we are calm, breathing tends to become slower and easier; when we are activated, breathing commonly becomes faster, shallower, or more effortful. Breathing can therefore both reflect changes in nervous-system activity and, to some extent, influence that activity.

One of the important features of breathing is that it operates at the intersection of automatic and voluntary control. We do not normally have to think about breathing, yet we can deliberately change it. This makes breathing unusual: it provides a way of consciously interacting with a process that is otherwise largely automatic.

Different breathing patterns can have different effects. Slowing and gently lengthening the breath may support a shift toward greater calm and physiological regulation, while faster or deeper breathing can increase activation and produce noticeable changes in bodily sensations. The effects depend on how breathing is changed, the individual, and the context in which it occurs.

For this reason, breathwork can involve much more than simply taking deep breaths. An understanding of the relationship between breathing, bodily state, and nervous-system activity provides an important foundation for understanding the wide range of breath-based practices used today.