SCIENCE-BACKED BREATHWORK: PROVEN TO REWIRE YOUR BRAIN
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Can Breathwork Really Rewire Your Brain With Every Inhale and Exhale?
Breathwork isn’t just something you feel—it’s now visible in the brain. Using advanced MRI scans, researchers at the Colasanti Lab (Brighton and Sussex Medical School) captured how Conscious Connected Breathwork shifts blood flow and emotional processing.
Published in PLOS ONE, the study shows what many have long known: Breathwork brings calm, clarity, and focus by reshaping your brain’s wiring.
Science Meets Breathwork
With curated music and intentional breathing, participants engaged in sessions—at home, in labs, and even within the steady hum of an MRI scanner. In every setting, they experienced altered states: expansive, emotionally powerful moments that felt both familiar from everyday life and distinctly different from ordinary awareness.
The Scans Reveal What Many Practitioners Already Know
Your breath is more than survival—it's a quiet force that shapes how you think, feel, and respond to life.
With each inhale and exhale, you can release racing thoughts, find clarity, and feel more grounded.
Breathwork isn’t mystical hype—it’s a practice your brain embraces.
Every breath has the power to reshape your mind for the better.
Oceanic Boundlessness: When Your Breath Opens The Horizon
One altered state stood out: oceanic boundlessness—a profound sense of connection, openness, and spiritual clarity that often emerges in breathwork.
For some, the experience feels like drifting weightless. For others, it is a deep stillness—a welcome relief from the constant mental chatter. You do not need to force it or chase it. Sometimes it shows up, sometimes it doesn't—and it's perfectly fine.
What is striking is that these internal shifts were not only felt by individuals but also seen in the body. Breathwork has a way of transforming us. As the breath slows and the body softens, stress begins to release. This is the moment when the nervous system moves out of ‘fight or flight’ and into calm.
For some, the experience feels like floating or drifting weightless. For others, it is a deep stillness—a welcome calm—relief from the constant mental chatter. You do not need to force it or chase it. Sometimes it shows up, sometimes it does not—and that is perfectly okay.
This is often the space where reflection begins, and whatever needs healing can gently surface. Self‑judgment gives way to self‑compassion, and the body begins to feel safe again. In that moment, people understand they are not broken—they are simply responding in the natural ways humans do under stress: surviving, adapting, and protecting.
Transformations In The Brain And Body
Blood flow slowed in the parts of the brain that monitor breathing and internal sensations.
Simultaneously, activity increased in brain regions associated with memory and emotion.
The nervous system demonstrated heightened engagement without signs of stress.
Participants described feeling calmer, with better moods, little fear, and no panic—even while inside the MRI scanner.
The deeper the inner experience, the more strongly the body reflected it.
The Impact
This study provides what breathwork has long awaited: clear language and scientific validation. It reinforces what many have already experienced—that breathwork is both safe and profoundly effective in releasing emotions and supporting personal growth.
Breathwork Is Not About Chasing Mystical States
Breathwork is a way of reconnecting with yourself. As the breath slows, the body begins to release tension, and signals from within become easier to notice—the steady rhythm of breathing, the beat of the heart, and subtle shifts in emotion.
Transformation begins in small moments of awareness. Breathwork is not about effort or striving—it is about paying attention. Often, the most meaningful change arises simply by allowing the breath to guide you.
A Personal Reflection
A breathwork journey reveals its power in profound ways. Having guided many sessions, I find this study deeply affirming, because breathwork is more than science catching up—it is about honouring what each person discovers, feels, releases, and remembers, whether that brings healing, clarity, energy, or a deeper connection to oneself.
I remember the first time I experienced oceanic boundlessness. “It was as if I drifted outside myself, weightless and unbound, before being gently guided inward into my floating body by a sense of warmth and compassion. Within that inner space, I became aware of how small I am compared to the vastness of the universe—yet rather than feeling lost, I felt safe, deeply connected, and a profound sense of peace.”
If breathwork is calling to you, now is the time to begin. In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing more reflections and opportunities to breathe together.
You can read the full study online—it is free and open to everyone: Neurobiological substrates of altered states of consciousness induced by high-ventilation breathwork (CCB) accompanied by curated facilitated music – PLOS ONE
💛 A gentle reminder: I am not a licensed medical doctor, therapist, or mental health professional. I am a certified breathwork facilitator. The breathwork practices and resources offered in our blog posts and on this website are intended to support personal growth and well-being. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing physical or emotional distress or facing a medical or psychological challenge, please connect with a qualified healthcare provider.
Your well-being truly matters. Listen to your body and honour your needs—you deserve care and support. Mental Health Resources: CAMH—https://www.camh.ca/
Black Mental Health Canada—https://blackmentalhealth.ca/
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