How Breathing Links Mind and Body

(Credit: Billion Photos/Shutterstock) Whether it’s regulating a burst of anger or calming down a bout of anxiety, taking a deep breath can have a potent effect. There are compelling hints that controlled breathing can improve overall physical wellbeing, but the neurophysiology — the link between our minds and bodies — of controlled breathing hasn’t been very extensively researched. A new study from researchers at Northwestern University and the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine begins to delve into the topic by attempting to separate the mechanisms that govern controlled and automatic breathing in the brain. Much of the neurophysiological research into breathing has has focused on the brain stem, the researchers say, which controls automatic processes like our heart rate and blood pressure. That work only captures breathing that’s done reflexively, though. Because we have the ability to take control of our breathing rate, other areas of the brain must be involved as well.