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Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

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Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#61

Post by PaulHoule »

RossBencina wrote: post #5
ansk wrote: post #3

I've found breathing exercises to be effective for the duration of the exercise, but I'm more interested in the possibility of training myself to adjust my respiration patterns over sustained durations. Would it be beneficial -- or even possible at all -- to adjust my body's default/subconscious breathing patterns to match those mentioned in the article? Tangentially related, are there any wearable devices that allow…

I have read that skilled mindfulness practitioners maintain constant awareness of their breathing pattern throughout all other waking activities. Something to aspire to perhaps.

I think it is helpful to practice autonomic control throughout the day. If you are riding the bus or sitting in a circle or doing this or that and you have the spare bandwidth to think about it. It becomes a habit.

People don’t like anxious people so it is part of charisma development like you do training for spiritual leadership or relational healing. Less anxiety means more tolerance for risk, ambiguity, etc. it is not “put it all on 7“

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#62

Post by PaulHoule »

vasco wrote: post #36
rpozarickij wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also a level above that, where you're aware of what is aware. I find this mental state to be even more calming/grounding than being aware of breathing but I'm not always able to shift myself into it. Being aware of breathing feels much easier/natural to me whenever I'm able to remind myself of it, which already provides quite a noticeable effect on how I'm feeling and reacting to whatever is happening in that…

Finally I understand why meditation hippies kinda seem aloof when you talk to them. Turns out they are trying to multi-task some kind of awarenessmaxxing while speaking to you. The more you know! I always thought that was part of their weirdness and maybe even some personality trait that led them to this sort of thing, but knowing it's an active choice makes it even weirder somehow.

Sometimes it is great to stomp on people’s lines but slowing down your responses half a beat is beneficial in most situations. There is often a first mover disadvantage.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#63

Post by elendilm »

PaulHoule wrote: post #60
elendilm wrote: post #57

The idiocy of thinking calmness leading to optimal results. Usually this comes from people who never accomplished anything. The paper is the prime example of pseudo science masquerading as science.

It’s got to be U shaped. There is a reason you have a sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Many of the greatest achievements in science & engineering were accomplished during wartime under intense stress or obsession - not a relaxed parasympathetic state.

That alone should make us skeptical of simplistic claims that calmer physiological states are inherently "more optimal" for complex cognition.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#64

Post by itsafarqueue »

isomorphic wrote: post #26
cryzinger wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, that does make a lot of sense!

"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear." (George Addair)

Alongside a slew of other things you really, really don’t want.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#65

Post by boringg »

meindnoch wrote: post #44
Sam6late wrote: post #17

Slow breathing is also recommended for novices before public speaking, as it helps speakers overcome irrational physiological fear of facing people, the risk-taking shift is useful as it helps you speak more confidently, not more cautiously. Slow breathing can calm nerves quickly; bottom-up regulation: body tells brain “you’re safe”.

Professional public speakers use a beta blocker like propanolol before going on stage.

Maybe some do but thats not the norm.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#67

Post by epihelix »

cryzinger wrote: post #4

Parasympathetic nervous activation increased risk-taking behavior? That's interesting/unexpected (at least to me). Also, this part caught my eye: > The selective impact of prolonged exhalation breathing on reward responsiveness has important implications for clinical contexts, such as anxiety, panic disorder, and depression, given their distinct autonomic signatures and maladaptive reward processing. By enhancing car…

Yes, it's weird. It's like the authors did the experiments, analysed them, understood that their research suggested that slow breathing was having the exact opposite effect of all that the psuedoscience/wellness/psychobabble community have assumed ...

... and then just ran with "yay, slow breathing!! Transformative, amirite??"

And sure, "transformative" is not technically incorrect. But the linguistic implications of that word are almost always positive/beneficial, whereas in this case the transformation is overwhelmingly negative.

At best, the manuscript's language is sloppy; at worst, it's misleading. Very odd. The finding that this technique is actually bad in most cases (every situation where additional risk-taking behaviour is bad) is so interesting. Odd that they almost try to cover it up.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#68

Post by brookside »

meindnoch wrote: post #44
Sam6late wrote: post #17

Slow breathing is also recommended for novices before public speaking, as it helps speakers overcome irrational physiological fear of facing people, the risk-taking shift is useful as it helps you speak more confidently, not more cautiously. Slow breathing can calm nerves quickly; bottom-up regulation: body tells brain “you’re safe”.

Professional public speakers use a beta blocker like propanolol before going on stage.

Not something I need for public speaking.

But what a godsend propranolol has been for a contentious work situation causing extreme anxiety.

Wonderful to take ahead of a scheduled meeting that could have otherwise been an hour of physical panic that no rational thought (this will feel unimportant in a week, it's just job, etc etc) could quell.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#69

Post by kator »

meindnoch wrote: post #44
Sam6late wrote: post #17

Slow breathing is also recommended for novices before public speaking, as it helps speakers overcome irrational physiological fear of facing people, the risk-taking shift is useful as it helps you speak more confidently, not more cautiously. Slow breathing can calm nerves quickly; bottom-up regulation: body tells brain “you’re safe”.

Professional public speakers use a beta blocker like propanolol before going on stage.

> Professional public speakers...

Maybe some do, but I've never needed it. Often I actually find public speaking easier than small groups. In a small group my brain is trying to "model" what each person is thinking about my talk, as the groups get larger that becomes impossible and I tend to relax and let go. I also find the energy in a larger setting is a useful feedback mechanism. I might toss a small joke out and see if the audience is engaged, or I will ask a question and get a show of hands. The more I engage the calmer I feel and the more enjoyable the experience is for me and my audience.

Re: Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

#70

Post by PaulHoule »

elendilm wrote: post #63
PaulHoule wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s got to be U shaped. There is a reason you have a sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Many of the greatest achievements in science & engineering were accomplished during wartime under intense stress or obsession - not a relaxed parasympathetic state. That alone should make us skeptical of simplistic claims that calmer physiological states are inherently "more optimal" for complex cognition.

My take about athletic performance is that it is good to be relaxed up until the moment you need to act. Even when I play Beat Saber multiplayer I think it is a mistake to be waving your arms around at the beginning or during pauses because fatigue builds up through the level. Eustress is phasic rather than tonic.

Even outside wartime great accomplishments come through obsession though, but I would say that the people who “make it” in academia are the ones who are kinda sanguine about the family business as opposed to the driven outsiders.

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