Neurophysiological mechanisms of breathing-based well-being practices: a narrative review for clinical application.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanisms and clinical literature without systematic methodology
PubMed 42487760 · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1774490
What was done
This was a narrative review synthesizing literature on how breathing-based practices modulate neural, cardiovascular, glymphatic, and autonomic systems, with a focus on physiological mechanisms, clinical applicability, precautions, and methodological considerations across breathing studies.
What was found
The abstract provides no quantitative data or specific numerical effect sizes. It reports descriptively that regulating breathing pace and depth—particularly via relaxed exhalation—engages vagal pathways to lower heart rate and blood pressure while shifting balance toward parasympathetic activity. Neuroimaging literature cited indicates controlled breathing decreases stress-related brain regional activation and enhances networks tied to attention and emotional regulation. Breathing depth also modulates cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, though human evidence for waste clearance remains unverified.
Why it matters
The review provides a mechanistic framework linking slow, controlled breathing to autonomic and central nervous system regulation, framing breathing exercises as low-cost, accessible clinical adjuncts for stress reduction.
Limits
This is an unsystematic narrative review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis; no search strategy, study counts, or quantitative syntheses are provided. Many cited trials use multimodal protocols that prevent isolating breathing effects, frequently rely on waitlist rather than active controls, and direct human evidence for glymphatic clearance is lacking.
Cited by
- supports Exhale-emphasized breathing activates the vagal pathway to slow heart rate.