Change your Breathing Patterns to Manage your Emotional Intelligence
“You can alter your emotions by changing your breathing patterns. Yoga breathing can release the untold stories inside you.” — Amit Ray
Our breathing patterns and emotional intelligence are deeply interlinked. Emotions are caused by the way our body respond to the external or internal stimuli. Breathing 12 to 20 breaths per minute is normal. However, rapid shallow upper-chest breathing creates anxiety and tensions.
There are many emotions stored in our subconscious mind and unconscious mind. Proper breathing exercises can release those negative emotions. Breathing is the connection between the conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind. Breath is the doorway to access the autonomic nervous system.
Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) commonly known as ‘fight or flight’ system. The Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is commonly known as housekeeping or resting system. Proper breathing can balance these two systems.
When you are trapped up in the intensity of an emotion, particularly with the so-called “negative” emotions like; fear, anger, sadness, or anxiety — it is challenging to observe your breathing patterns.
When you are sad, you will breathe frequently. When you are angry, you will breathe rapidly. In the hold of fear, your breathing pattern will be shallow, and breathing will be from the top of your lungs. And sometimes you may hold your breath for a long time, without realizing that’s what you are doing.
Everyone have their own breathing pattern. The amygdala is strongly associated with our emotional brain. The processing of fear-related emotions are driven by the amygdala.
However, our emotions are regulated by the prefrontal brain. Slow and deep breathing pattern can down-regulate the activities of the amygdala and increases the integration with prefrontal brain.
