A longer exhale may push your brain toward bolder decisions
A new study indicates that slow, deliberate breathing can influence decision-making by altering heart rate variability and brain responsiveness. Researchers found that longer exhalations may encourage individuals to make bolder, more risk-tolerant choices.
Why it matters
Understanding the physiological basis of decision-making could lead to new techniques for managing stress and improving cognitive performance in high-pressure environments.
A new study suggests that deliberately changing the rhythm of your breathing can influence how you make decisions by altering activity in both the heart and brain. Researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE) and Charit -- Universit tsmedizin Berlin found that longer exhalations increased heart rate variability and made the brain more responsive to rewards, which was associated with bolder choices. The findings were published in Neuron .
Fast breathing and an elevated heart rate are often linked with rapid decision-making. Under pressure, people may become more cautious in an effort to avoid losses, whether they are making an investment, handling a tense workplace situation, or choosing a meal quickly. Slower breathing and a calmer cardiovascular state, by contrast, may encourage a more positive assessment of potential outcomes and make people more willing to take risks.
How Breathing Connects the Body and Brain
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