Scientists reveal how breathwork unlocks psychedelic bliss in the brain

High ventilation breathwork with music can induce psychedelic-like altered states marked by bliss, unity, and reduced negative emotions, with measurable brain blood flow changes. In the reported study, experienced practitioners completed 20 to 30 minutes of cyclic fast breathing without pausing while listening to music, followed by questionnaires and neuroimaging in different settings. The strength of these altered states tracked cardiovascular sympathetic activation, while blood flow patterns shifted in emotion and body-state related regions. The work found reduced blood flow to regions linked to internal bodily state representation and a concurrent increase in blood flow during the session to areas involved in processing emotional memories. Across sessions, participants reported lower fear and negative emotions and no adverse reactions. The authors frame the findings as exploratory and call for replication with larger samples and better controls, while suggesting breathwork could be a non-pharmacological route to therapeutic psychedelic-like experiences.