High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews December 1, 2023 Guy W Fincham, Amy Kartar, Malin V Uthaug et al. 41 citations
High Ventilation Breathwork (HVB)—volitional manipulation of breathing used historically for psychological distress—produces extraordinary changes in subjective experience and profound effects on central and autonomic nervous systems by modulating neurometabolic parameters and interoceptive sensory systems. Clinical observations and neurophysiological studies indicate these practices may have therapeutic potential for trauma-related, affective, and somatic disorders. The evidence base suggests that the phenomenological effects of HVB can be understood and potentially harnessed through volitional perturbation of psychophysiological state, but further research is needed for detailed mechanistic knowledge and rigorous clinical testing of these potential uses.