Can Better Breathing Lead to Better Decisions?

Take a Breath: We’re supposed to listen to our gut when faced with a tricky decision, but that advice perhaps should be tweaked to “listen to our breath.” Breathwork can help us calm down, manage stress, and regulate our nervous systems. Research shows that certain breathwork patterns may also help us make better decisions. 

How to Do It: Researchers presented participants with a risky financial decision: a 50/50 gamble in which they could either win or lose money. How they breathed affected the decision they made, with blood flow to their brains measured by a functional MRI. Those who did a slow long-exhalation breathing pattern — a two-second inhale followed by an eight-second exhale, repeated several times — found the potential rewards were amplified. 

Why It Works: Long exhalation slows the heart rate and stimulates the vagus nerve to activate the calming parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. It helps the brain become attuned to the opportunities of an action instead of its potential downsides. Repeating this practice for several minutes before making a big decision, taking a step that makes you nervous, or having a difficult conversation can help you focus on what could go right instead of what could go wrong.