Why Breathwork is so Powerful

Breathwork is an extremely powerful and accessible practice to improve mental health, biological & behavioural regulation and overall performance. In this article we'll explore some evidence-based insights to inspire you toward making it a routine, and three effective practices to get you started:

INSIGHTS –

1. Breath is the only autonomic function we can consciously control

Unlike heart rate, digestion, or hormone release, breath is the only part of the autonomic nervous system we can voluntarily influence, giving us direct access to calming our body and mind in real-time.

2. Slow, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system

Techniques like Box Breathing or slow exhalation help activate the "rest-and-digest" system, reducing heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels (the stress hormone).

3. Breathwork improves emotional regulation and cognitive clarity.

Regular breathwork improves the brain’s ability to regulate emotion, focus attention, and reduce impulsivity, crucial for students’ learning and teachers’ wellbeing.

4. Just 5 minutes a day of structured breathwork can reduce stress more than mindfulness meditation.

In a 2021 Stanford study, breathwork was shown to outperform traditional mindfulness meditation in quickly reducing anxiety and improving mood.

5. Breath regulates vagal tone, which influences resilience and recovery.

High vagal tone (stimulated through slow, rhythmic breath) is associated with better emotion regulation, improved digestion, stronger immune function, and quicker recovery from stress.

6. Breathwork is accessible, free, and immediate.

It requires no equipment, can be done anywhere, and takes effect within seconds — making it a practical and inclusive tool for both educators and students in high-stress environments.

HOW TO PRACTICE IT –

(1) Box Method Breathing 

Box Method Breathing, also known as square breathing or four-square breathing, is a controlled breathing technique that involves four simple steps, each lasting the same amount of time:

1.     Inhale for 4 seconds

2.     Hold the breath for 4 seconds

3.     Exhale for 4 seconds

4.     Hold the breath for 4 seconds

Repeat for 3–5 minutes (or longer, depending on time and capacity)

Why is it Effective?

Box Breathing helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system, shifting the body from a stress response (sympathetic nervous system) to a calm and relaxed state (parasympathetic nervous system). This is crucial for both educators and students who may be experiencing chronic stress, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation.

Scientific Backing

• Polyvagal Theory (Dr. Stephen Porges): Controlled breath, especially slow exhales and breath holds, can stimulate the vagus nerve, enhancing vagal tone and improving emotional regulation, resilience, and cognitive function.

• A 2023 meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology concluded that breathwork, including paced breathing and box breathing, significantly reduces symptoms of anxiety and improves emotional control.

• Stanford Neuroscience Professor Dr. Andrew Huberman supports box and cyclic sigh breathing as rapid tools for down regulating the nervous system, especially for anxiety and focus.

• A 2021 study in Cell Reports Medicine found that just 5 minutes of structured breathwork per day, including Box Breathing, was more effective than mindfulness meditation in reducing stress.

  
  

How Educators Can Use and Teach It -

In the Staffroom:

• Use Box Breathing during transitions between classes or meetings

• Use it before a challenging conversation or decision-making task

In the Classroom:

• Begin or end the day with 2 minutes of Box Breathing

• Use it as a grounding tool before assessments or after breaks

• Teach students a visual: imagine drawing a square (box) in the air or using their finger

 

(2) Triangular Breathing (3–3–6)

Similar to Box-Method-Breathing, Triangular Breathing is an accessible and practical practice to reduce stress and and induce greater calm and focus to enable clarity of thought and responsible decision making.

To practice it, simply inhale through your nose  for 3 seconds, hold your breath for 3 seconds, and finally, exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds:

Why It’s Effective – The Science Behind Triangular Breathing

1. The Extended Exhale Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Breathing out longer than you breathe in naturally slows the heart rate and signals to the brain that the body is safe, activating the “rest and digest” response (Anselmi et al., 2022 – Journal of Clinical Medicine).

2. Nasal Inhalation Increases Oxygen Uptake and Focus

Inhaling through the nose boosts nitric oxide levels, which improves oxygen exchange and enhances cognitive performance. It also warms and filters air more efficiently (Lundberg et al., 1995 – American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine).

3. The Breath-Hold Builds Tolerance and Enhances Control

Brief breath-holds between inhale and exhale help improve CO₂ tolerance, which is linked to emotional resilience and reduced reactivity under stress (Courtney, 2020 – Breathing for Health (reviewed across multiple physiology studies).

4. It’s Grounding, Rhythmic, and Easy to Teach

The simplicity and symmetry of 3–3–6 breathing make it ideal for students — especially those with anxiety, ADHD, or emotional dysregulation. The rhythm is easy to memorise and visualise, similar to Box Breathing but softer in effect.

Who It's Great For

• Younger students who might struggle with longer breath-holds

• Teenagers who experience test anxiety or emotional flooding

• Teachers needing a quick reset during the day

• ·People new to breathwork

Breathwork & The Nervous System: What Happens Physically and Why It Supports Learning

Inhale (Oxygen in) — Heart Rate Increases

When we inhale, especially through the nose, the vagus nerve is temporarily inhibited, causing a mild increase in heart rate.This increases alertness, arousal, and sympathetic activation (in a healthy way).

This effect is part of something called respiratory sinus arrhythmia — a natural fluctuation of the heart rate that occurs with the breath (Yasuma & Hayano, Chest Journal (2004)).

Exhale (Carbon Dioxide out) — Heart Rate Slows Down

When we exhale, especially slowly and through the mouth, the vagus nerve is re-engaged, and the parasympathetic nervous system is activated.This slows the heart rate, calms the body, and shifts the brain into a state of focused rest — ideal for memory formation, emotional regulation, and learning (Lehrer & Gevirtz (2014), Clinical Psychology Review).

Breath Holding — Builds Tolerance & Stillness

A short breath-hold (like in Box or Triangle Breathing) increases CO₂ levels slightly, which:

• Improves carbon dioxide tolerance (linked to reduced anxiety and reactivity)

• Encourages stillness and interoceptive awareness (noticing inner sensations)

• Creates a moment of pause that’s helpful for shifting out of panic or impulsivity

(Courtney, 2020 – Breathing Science for Health)

(3) The Cyclic Sigh — The Fastest Way to Calm Down

A Cyclic Sigh, also known as the physiological sigh, involves the following steps:

1. A deep breath in through the nose

2. A second, shorter inhale through the nose

3. A slow, extended exhale through the mouth

   
   

   

   
   

What Happens in the Body:

• The first deep inhale inflates most of the lungs

• The second shorter inhale inflates the alveoli (small air sacs) that may have collapsed, giving a full inflation

• The long exhale offloads CO₂, stimulates the vagus nerve, and rapidly reduces arousal and anxiety.

  
  

Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman’s lab (2021) showed that cyclic sighs were the most effective technique — outperforming mindfulness meditation and other breath patterns in reducing physiological arousal and anxiety in real time.

Why All of This Is Ideal for Learning

• Modulating breath gives students and educators control over arousal levels — enhancing focus, memory encoding, impulse control, and emotional resilience.

  
  

• Slow breathing (especially with longer exhales) can reduce amygdala activity (fear/threat centre) and enhance prefrontal cortex functioning — the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, planning, and learning.

  
  

In summary, breathwork is an accessible and powerful practice and resource for educators, students or anyone who is curious or interested in reducing their stress/ cortisol levels, and looking to improve their overall mental clarity and performance. By starting with a daily simple practice that incorporates one of the recommended methods above, you will be on your way to controlling your autonomic nervous system and experiencing a greater health and cognitive performance.

 

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REFERENCES:

1.     Porges, Polyvagal Theory (2011)

2.     Lehrer & Gevirtz, 2014 — Clinical Psychology Review

3.     Zeidan et al., 2010 – Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

4.     Balban et al., Cell Reports Medicine (2021)

5.     Porges, 2007 – Biological Psychology