Breath as Energy Regulation

3 days ago
8 min read

The inner animal learns when to brake, maintain speed and accelerate

In Bodymind Therapy, the word energy refers to biological resources and the body’s level of activation. It does not mean an invisible, magical or esoteric energy.

What energy means in Bodymind Therapy

In Bodymind Therapy, we use the word energy in its physiological and biological sense. The term may also have spiritual, symbolic or personal meanings that are valid for those who share them, but these meanings are not used to explain the body scientifically and are not part of the Bodymind model.

Biologically, energy first means that cells have the resources they need to work: to move muscles, transmit signals, maintain temperature, digest and repair tissues.[1] In psychological language, energy also describes how awake, ready and mobilized the body is, or how slowed down and tired it feels.[2]

These two dimensions are connected, but they are not the same. We can be agitated and exhausted at the same time; or we may have slept and eaten enough yet still feel blocked. Regulating energy therefore means using the available resources and bringing the body toward the level of activation best suited to the situation.

The inner animal is at the wheel

In the Bodymind model, the inner animal represents the biological and instinctive part that guides the body’s readiness. It continuously observes what is happening inside and outside us and prepares the system to move, defend itself, approach, stop or rest.

We can imagine it driving a car. Before a bend it must slow down; in front of an obstacle it must brake; on an uphill road it must increase power. Healthy regulation does not mean always being calm. It means being able to change speed without losing control.

Sometimes the system anticipates a difficulty and accelerates before it begins. This is useful when we need to react quickly, but it becomes exhausting when we continue to accelerate after the danger or effort has ended.[3]

Fuel comes before breath

Breathing can help regulate the system, but it cannot create missing energy from nothing. The body needs food, water, sleep, oxygen and adequate hormonal and micronutrient functioning. Breath is a pedal, not the fuel tank.

A breathing technique may make us feel more present or calmer for a few minutes, but it does not correct sleep deprivation, anaemia, a nutritional deficiency or a medical condition. When the tank is empty, accelerating consumes the last resources instead of creating new ones.

Energy regulation through breath: Why breathing can change the system’s speed

Breathing functions by itself, even while we sleep, but we can also change it voluntarily. This makes it one of the simplest links between consciousness and the body’s automatic processes.[4]

Breathing is connected to the heart. During inhalation, the heartbeat tends to accelerate slightly; during exhalation, it tends to slow down. When we breathe calmly, the rhythms of breathing, heart and blood pressure can become more coordinated.[5]

We do not need to control every physiological detail. For practice, one simple rule is enough: a slightly more dynamic inhalation prepares for action, while a slow, soft and continuous exhalation tends to facilitate slowing down.

Inhaling through the nose

At rest, it is generally useful to inhale through the nose. The nose filters, warms and humidifies the air. It also naturally slows its entry and makes it easier to feel the air passing through the nostrils.

As you inhale, allow mainly the lower ribs and abdomen to expand. Air does not enter the belly: the movement is produced by the diaphragm, the large breathing muscle located beneath the lungs.[6]

Braking: exhaling slowly through the mouth

When the system is moving too fast, inhale gently through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth. Let the air flow out with a soft ‘haaah’, as if fogging a mirror. The sound makes the breath audible and helps you follow it from beginning to end.

As you exhale, let the jaw drop slightly. The teeth do not touch, the tongue remains soft and the shoulders are not pushed downward. The advantage is not magical: gently opening the mouth interrupts clenching, and the sound immediately shows us whether we are holding or forcing the air.

You can inhale for about three or four seconds and exhale for about five or six. The exhalation may be slightly longer, but it must remain comfortable. You do not need to empty the lungs completely. If you feel air hunger or dizziness, you are probably breathing too slowly or too deeply.

Accelerating without hyperventilating

When the system is slowed down, sleepy or not fully present, you can stand up, open your gaze toward the environment and inhale through the nose a little faster and more deeply than usual. You can accompany the inhalation by opening the arms or lengthening the spine.

After three or four cycles, return to spontaneous breathing and begin to move.

Breathing very rapidly and deeply for a long time does not create energy. It can remove too much carbon dioxide and cause dizziness, tingling, tension, confusion or feelings of unreality.[7]

Useful acceleration is brief and is combined with posture, light, movement and concrete action.

Other simple forms of breathing

Slow breathing

Inhale and exhale continuously, without forced pauses, at a comfortable rhythm. Five seconds in and five seconds out are one possible starting point. This is the most studied form for temporarily improving coordination between breathing and the heart.
Pursed-lip exhalation

Inhale through the nose and exhale with a gentle ‘ffff’, leaving a small opening between the lips. The slight resistance slows the air as it leaves. Do not push or create strong pressure.
Humming

Inhale through the nose and exhale with the lips closed, producing a low and comfortable ‘mmm’. The vibration makes breathing very noticeable, and the sound naturally lengthens the exhalation. Humming also changes airflow through the nasal cavities, but it has not been shown that the vibration directly activates the vagus nerve.[8]
Physiological sigh

Take a first inhalation through the nose and immediately add a second, shorter inhalation. Then exhale slowly through the mouth. One or two cycles can interrupt a moment of tension. Do not repeat it rapidly until you become dizzy.
Brief activating breath

While standing, take three or four slightly more vigorous nasal inhalations, each followed by a natural exhalation. Combine the breath with opening the arms, gaze and posture. Then walk or begin the task you need to do.

What breathing sounds do

Sound makes something we normally feel only from within perceptible through hearing. A ‘haaah’, ‘ffff’ or ‘mmm’ helps us notice whether the air flows out continuously, whether the throat tightens or whether the exhalation ends too soon.

A soft, regular and predictable sound tends to support a slow exhalation and can therefore accompany relaxation. A sudden, loud or aggressive sound requires more effort and captures attention more strongly, so it may be more activating. However, no sound calms or activates everyone in the same way. Volume, duration, personal meaning and context all matter.[9]

For some people, audible breathing is reassuring; for others it increases embarrassment or alarm. The question is not whether the sound is theoretically correct, but whether the body becomes more stable, present and free.

How to train the brake

Practise when you are relatively calm. Sit with your feet on the floor or lie down. Inhale through the nose for three or four seconds and feel the lower ribs open. Then let the jaw drop and exhale through the mouth with a ‘haaah’ for five or six seconds.

Begin with three minutes a day. When the breath remains comfortable, gradually increase to five or ten minutes. Quality is more important than duration. Later, try the same breath while sitting, standing, before a difficult conversation or after physical effort.

How to train the accelerator

Practise while standing. Open your gaze, inhale through the nose a little more vigorously and accompany the breath by opening the arms. After three or four cycles, return to normal breathing and walk for a few seconds. The aim is to increase presence moderately, not to create agitation.

If dizziness, tingling, chest pain, strong air hunger or a feeling of fainting occurs, stop the exercise and allow the breath to return spontaneously. With cardiac, respiratory or neurological conditions, or panic attacks that are easily triggered by breathing, more intense techniques require professional guidance.

Learning to drive

The inner animal is not an enemy to control. It is a biological system to understand. Sometimes it approaches every bend as an emergency and needs a slow, audible exhalation and a soft jaw. At other times it remains stopped at the roadside and needs light, posture, movement and a few more vigorous inhalations.

Energy regulation does not mean always breathing slowly, nor does it mean constantly seeking greater activation. It means sensing the road, recognising how much fuel is available and choosing when to brake, when to maintain speed and when to accelerate.

Scientific notes and terms

The physiology in the main text has deliberately been simplified. The following notes clarify the technical terms and indicate the main scientific sources. Evidence is stronger for slow breathing and cardiorespiratory regulation; it is still limited for the specific effects of self-produced sounds and humming.

ATP and cellular energy. ATP is a small molecule used by cells to transfer energy. It is continuously regenerated, mainly using nutrients and oxygen. In BodyMind Therapy, speaking of ‘energy’ therefore means speaking of measurable biological processes, not an invisible substance.
Arousal. This is the organism’s general level of activation, ranging from sleepiness and slowing down to alertness, excitement and alarm. It is not a specific emotion and does not correspond to the number of calories available.
Allostasis. This is the ability of the brain and body to prepare in advance for expected demands. The system can increase heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension before an effort begins. This prediction is useful, but becomes costly when it remains continuously active.
Autonomic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that automatically regulates the heart, blood vessels, digestion, sweating and many other functions. ‘Autonomic’ does not mean completely independent of consciousness: breathing, posture, movement and context can influence it.
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and heart-rate variability. The heart does not beat like a metronome. It tends to accelerate during inhalation and slow during exhalation. Heart-rate variability describes these continuous differences from one heartbeat to the next. Slow breathing often increases some measures of variability during practice, but a higher value does not automatically mean better health in every circumstance.
Diaphragm and abdominal breathing. The diaphragm is the main inhalation muscle. As it descends, the lower chest expands and the abdominal organs shift slightly, moving the abdominal wall forward. This is why people commonly speak of ‘abdominal breathing’, even though the air remains in the lungs.
Hyperventilation and hypocapnia. Hyperventilating means breathing more than metabolism requires. This removes too much carbon dioxide. The reduction in CO2, called hypocapnia, can temporarily narrow blood vessels in the brain and cause dizziness, tingling, confusion and feelings of unreality.
Humming and nasal nitric oxide. The ‘mmm’ sound creates air oscillations between the nose and the paranasal sinuses and can temporarily increase the amount of nitric oxide measured in nasal air. This finding does not show that humming cures an illness or directly stimulates the vagus nerve.
Sound and activation. The nervous system responds to the volume, predictability and meaning of sounds. In general, loud and sudden noises attract attention and may increase activation; regular and predictable sounds may help reduce it. However, studies of sounds produced during specific breathing exercises are still scarce.
Clinical limits. Breathing techniques can support regulation, but they do not replace medical or psychotherapeutic diagnosis and treatment. In some people, controlling the breath increases anxiety; in these cases it is preferable to begin with orientation, movement, contact with the environment and spontaneous breathing.

Essential scientific sources

Russo M.A., Santarelli D.M., O’Rourke D. The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 2017.
Laborde S. et al. Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2022.
Zaccaro A. et al. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: a systematic review. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.
Fincham G.W. et al. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 2023.
Balban M.Y. et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023.
Bentley T.G.K. et al. Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: systematic review and implementation framework. Brain Sciences, 2023.
Gholamrezaei A. et al. Psychophysiological responses to various slow, deep breathing techniques. Psychophysiology, 2021.
Weitzberg E., Lundberg J.O.N. Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2002.