How does your breathing affect your brain - and why should you pay attention to it?

Breathing is the most natural thing in the world - but very few of us use our breathing to its full potential. Yet oxygen is the most important nutrient for your brain. Without it, your nerve cells cannot function optimally, which can affect your concentration, memory and even your emotional balance.

But what exactly happens when you breathe consciously? What effects does oxygen have on your brain? And how can you use your breathing to improve your mental performance and well-being? Let's explore this together.

Why is oxygen so essential for your brain?

Your brain uses around 20% of all the oxygen your body takes in - even though it only makes up around 2% of your total body mass. Why is that? Because oxygen is the basis for almost all processes in the brain:

• Energy supply: Without oxygen, your brain cannot produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) - the most important source of energy for your nerve cells. A lack of oxygen can therefore lead to concentration problems, tiredness and mental exhaustion.

• Detoxification & regeneration: Oxygen helps your brain to eliminate waste products and break down toxins. A sufficient supply of oxygen plays a crucial role in cleansing your brain, especially at night.

• Protection against oxidative stress: Your brain is extremely susceptible to oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Oxygen helps to neutralize these radicals and thus prevent cell damage.

• Communication of nerve cells: Oxygen is essential for neurons to generate and transmit electrical impulses. This is the basis for all cognitive processes - from solving complex tasks to emotional processing.

Conscious breathing: your underestimated tool for mental clarity

The good news? You can actively improve your oxygen supply - through targeted breathing techniques. Here are some tried and tested methods:

1. Deep abdominal breathing: Many people breathe shallowly into their chest, which reduces oxygen intake. Deep abdominal breathing (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) fills your lungs completely with air and provides your brain with an optimal supply of oxygen.

2. Box breathing (4-4-4-4 method): This technique is used by Navy SEALs to stay focused in stressful situations. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and hold again for 4 seconds.

3. Alternate breathing (Nadi Shodhana): A centuries-old breathing technique from yoga that balances the nervous system and calms the mind. You alternately breathe in through one nostril and out through the other.

4. Carbon dioxide tolerance training: Studies show that many people breathe too often and too shallowly, which leads to an imbalance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. By consciously pausing to breathe, you can increase your CO2 tolerance and improve oxygen utilization in your cells.

Conclusion: Your breathing also determines your mental performance

You can't control your brain's need for oxygen - but you can control how much it gets. With conscious breathing, you can increase your cognitive performance, reduce stress and improve your mental clarity. Best of all, it's free and available anytime!

Sources:

• Nunn, J. F. (2002). "Applied Respiratory Physiology." Elsevier Health Sciences.

• Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). "How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing." Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

• Li, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, L., Yang, X., & Dong, L. (2021). "Effects of Breathing Techniques on Mental and Physical Health: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.