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Deeksha Aachi

Breathing Rate and Memory: Where is the Relation?

Have you ever thought about how the speed at which you breathe can actually affect how well information can be retained? A recent study conducted by Northwestern University showed that there really is a correlation. Now, it seems pretty clear that breathing is not only used for the intake of oxygen but also related to how we behave and how our brains can function. But why does this happen?


Well, this is interlinked because the rate at which a human being breathes creates signals and electrical activity in the area of the brain where neurons start firing. Where these neurons start to fire enhances an area of the brain known as the amygdala, which controls one’s emotions. According to the study, this can be affected in multiple ways, from inhaling or exhaling even to whether you start breathing from the nose or the mouth. This is because “there is a dramatic difference in brain activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during inhalation compared with exhalation,” according to Christina Zelano, a professor of neurology. This leads to the stimulation of the neurons in the olfactory cortex, amygdala and hippocampus, as well as all around the limbic system in the brain. And how was this curated? These scientists looked at patients who had epilepsy and were about to go into surgery a week later. By the use of electrodes, these scientists managed to capture data from their brains and recorded the electrical signals present in the brain fluctuate continuously in the area where our memories and emotions are controlled, which is the amygdala.


Another part of the study showed that when people inhaled as a part of routinely breathing, their memories of information when they were asked to recall the information and images was better than those of people who exhaled. In scary situations or during exercise, you start to breathe at a more rapid rate than usual. People tend to inhale more during these instances, triggering their fight or flight response and positively impacting our brains.


Taking this into real life context and real life situations, why do so many say that exercise can help with memory? This is due to the electrical signals present in the brain when there is rapid breathing after any kind of exercise stimulates the areas of the brain which are connected to memory and emotions. So when it comes to stressful activities such as big events and exams, exercise is one of the best solutions, as for the electrical signals present when we rapidly inhale and exhale. So next time you have a stressful final, always remember that memory can improve by exercise and rapid breathing!



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