Breathwork & Psychedelic Bliss: Brain Science Revealed
- Breathwork while listening to music may induce a blissful state in practitioners, accompanied by changes in blood flow to emotion-processing brain regions, according to a study published August...
- The growing popularity of breathwork as a therapeutic tool for psychological distress is fueled by its accessibility and potential benefits.
- Though, untill recently, the neurobiological mechanisms and subjective experiences underlying ASCs induced by HVB remained largely unexplored.
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Breathwork and the Brain: Study reveals Neurological Changes During Altered states of Consciousness
Breathwork while listening to music may induce a blissful state in practitioners, accompanied by changes in blood flow to emotion-processing brain regions, according to a study published August 27, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Amy Amla Kartar from the Colasanti Lab in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, U.K., and colleagues. these changes occur even while the body’s stress response may be activated and are associated with reporting reduced negative emotions.
The growing popularity of breathwork as a therapeutic tool for psychological distress is fueled by its accessibility and potential benefits. Breathwork practices that increase ventilatory rate or depth, often combined with music, can induce altered states of consciousness (ASCs) reminiscent of those experienced with psychedelic substances. This has led to interest in high ventilation breathwork (HVB) as a non-pharmacological alternative, perhaps bypassing the legal and ethical complexities associated with psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Though, untill recently, the neurobiological mechanisms and subjective experiences underlying ASCs induced by HVB remained largely unexplored. The study by kartar et al. aimed to address this gap in knowledge.
Study Methodology and Findings
Researchers, led by Dr. Alessandro Colasanti, investigated ASCs induced by HVB in experienced practitioners. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach,analyzing self-reported data from a total of 42 participants: 15 participating online,8 in a laboratory setting,and 19 undergoing magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain activity.Participants engaged in a specific breathwork protocol while listening to curated music.
Key findings included:
- Increased Blood Flow to Emotion-Processing Regions: The study observed increased blood flow to brain regions associated with emotional processing, such as the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC).
- Activation of the Stress Response: Despite the reported feelings of bliss and reduced negative emotions,physiological markers indicated activation of the body’s stress response system. This suggests a complex interplay between physiological arousal and subjective experience.
- Subjective Reports of Reduced Negative Emotions: Participants consistently reported a reduction in negative emotions during and after the breathwork session.
- Correlation Between Physiological Changes and Subjective Experience: The researchers found a correlation between the observed changes in brain activity and the participants’ self-reported emotional states.
| Participant Group | Number of Participants | Data collection Method |
|---|---|---|
| Online | 15 | Self-Reported Data |
| Laboratory | 8 | Self-Reported Data |
| MEG | 19 | Magnetoencephalography & Self-Reported Data |
Implications and Future Research
Dr. Colasanti emphasizes the potential of breathwork as a “powerful yet natural tool for neuromodulation,” explaining that it effectively works by regulating metabolism throughout the body and brain.He believes breathwork holds “tremendous promise as a transformative therapeutic intervention for conditions that are frequently enough both distressing and disabling.”
The researchers acknowledge that this style of fast-paced breathing has received limited scientific attention and express gratitude