Altered States, No Psychedelics Required

Seeing Stars: Breathwork has been used for centuries across cultures — from yoga to Tibetan Buddhism to qigong. A new study suggests high-ventilation breathwork (HVB) — a sustained, faster, deeper pattern that can approach hyperventilation — with music may induce an altered state of consciousness.

The Study: Participants listened to “evocative” instrumental music while doing HVB for 20 to 30 minutes across three sessions: at home; in an MR (to track brain blood flow); and in a lab (to measure heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), and CO2). Afterward, participants completed questionnaires. Some brain regions showed decreased blood flow while others increased. Stronger altered-state reports aligned with larger blood-flow shifts and bigger HRV drops.

The Takeaway: Across all settings, participants reported altered consciousness and reduced fear/negative emotions, with no adverse events. Researchers say music-paired HVB could be an alternative path — alongside psychedelic research — for addressing mental health symptoms.

Keep in Mind: Findings are promising but early. The sample size was very small. All participants had prior breathwork experience, and none had diagnosed mental illness. It’s unknown how well this would work for beginners or for people with depression, anxiety or other conditions.