Research: Breath-based Mindfulness

There are two aspects about the breath that are particularly interesting: 

1. The impact of the breath on the autonomous nervous system    
   The breath is intricately linked with the autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. Mindfulness practices centered around breath regulation have been shown to modulate these systems, eliciting a relaxation response characterized by decreased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and reduced cortisol levels. This physiological recalibration not only promotes immediate stress reduction but also fosters long-term resilience against chronic stress-related disorders. 
2. Breath, emotions and the brain   
   Scientific findings show that breathing and breathing rhythms are closely connected with particular emotions. It was found that certain emotions correspond to specific breathing patterns and that breathing in a certain pattern can also influence one’s emotional state. Other studies investigated this connection from a neuroscience perspective using magnetic resonance imaging to detect changes in brain activity. Researchers found that mindful attention to breath had an impact on areas of the brain which are responsible for stress and rational thinking, decreasing the activity in areas for stress and increasing the integration with areas for rational thinking (Doll et al., 2016). 

Scientific findings about the breath-based mindfulness techniques used by TLEX 

Numerous studies have already been carried out on the breathing techniques used by the TLEX Institute.

Regular practice of TLEX breath-based mindfulness was found to lead to:

LESS 

• Stress (Kjellgren et al., 2007) 
• Cortisol, the stress hormone (Vedamurthachar, 2006 and Aggarwal MD, et al,Univ. of Ottawa, Canada) 
• Anxiety & depression (Janakiramaiah et al., 2000; Kjellgren et al., 2007; Descilo et al., 2009) 
• Blood pressure & heart rate (Grossman et al., 2001; Sakakibara et al., 1996; Telles et al., 1992) 
• Pain (Zautra et al., 2010) 
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Descilo et al., 2009) 
• Substance Use (Tobacco) (Kochupillai et al., 2005)

MORE

• Brain Function: State of FLOW (Bhaskar et al 2020) 
• Mental focus (Bhatia et al., 2003; Jella et al., 1993, Naveen et al., 1997) 
• Well-being & Optimism (Kjellgren et al., 2007) 
• Immune Function (Kochupillai et al., 2006; Sharma et al., 2003)