This simple breathing technique will improve your memory and sharpen focus

Benefits of nasal breathing: According to studies, how we breathe, especially through the nose, influences brain activity and cognitive performance (Image: Pexels)

When it comes to fitness, most people think about training their bodies for long-term gains. However, they often overlook the most important aspect of it, which is brain health. Enhancing cognitive function is essential for performing everyday activities, having a quality social life, and maintaining emotional stability. And you don’t have to go out of your way for it. You can enhance its performance by just focusing on your breathing.

New developments in neuroscience support that nasal breathing can be tremendously helpful in boosting memory, sharpening focus, and regulating emotions.

Benefits of nasal breathing for the brain

According to a 2024 review published in Reviews in Neuroscience, how we breathe, especially through the nose, influences brain activity and cognitive performance.

Also read | 5 easy breathing exercises to calm your mind and improve focus

Nasal breathing makes the nose receptors send rhythmic signals to the brain. These help coordinate activity across many important brain areas involved in thinking, memory, emotions, and focus.

Because brain activity is in sync with the breathing rhythm, different parts of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, parietal cortex, and piriform cortex, communicate better with each other. This improved coordination is linked to better cognitive function, particularly memory.

Even slow nasal breathing influences attention and reduces mental fatigue. When you breathe slowly through the nose, it becomes easier to observe a shift in focus due to better brain alignment. According to a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, cognitive performance, in terms of attention and response, significantly improved during nasal breathing compared to mouth breathing.

Also read | 9 ways alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi Shodhana, calms you

Breathing through the nose also strengthens brain-body communication and builds resilience to stress. Nasal breathing activates the vagus nerve, which promotes calm, focus, and emotional regulation, according to a 2022 study published in Cell Reports Medicine.

How to breathe through the nose

Nasal breathing can be done by inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds, exhaling for 6 seconds, and doing so for a few minutes. It is simple, free, and time-efficient.

This shows how even a simple breathing technique can go a long way in improving your brain health. It’s just about taking out a little time from your day, and the rewarding results will encourage you to continue.