Zelano and colleagues discovered that the rhythm in which we breathe directly affects activity in our brain. Yet, there are a lot of factors involved such as how deep or shallow our breathing is and whether we do so through our nose or mouth.
In fact, there is an exact synchronicity between these two processes. The Northwestern team delved further and found that three major areas of the brain are affected by breathing: the hippocampus which is responsible for memory, the amygdala—our emotional center, and the piriform cortex, which controls our olfactory system or our sense of smell. These are all part of the limbic system which is responsible for our basic emotions such as anger and fear, along with our instinctual drives such as hunger, the sex drive, and caring for offspring. The limbic system is also responsible for our higher emotions.
So how can you use this knowledge to your advantage? Cognition may work better when we inhale through our nose, especially when worried or scared. This can help us react better to situations. Deep breathing exercises can also improve our memory and help us to make better decisions where our emotions are a central part of evaluation. So should you stay with a partner whom you love, even though they don’t ever want to get married and you do? Breathe in deeply through your nose while you think it over. It should help you sort it out.
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