Scientists Uncover Link Between Breathwork and Psychedelic Brain States

Rapid Summary

• A study in the journal PLOS One (August 27, 2025) explored how breathwork combined with music can induce a blissful state and impact blood flow to emotion-related brain regions.
• Researchers analyzed psychedelic-like altered states of consciousness (ASCs) induced by high ventilation breathwork (HVB), wich may serve as a non-pharmacological alternative for mental health treatments.
• The study included self-reported data from 15 online participants, 8 lab participants, and neuroimaging data from 19 individuals during a cyclic breathing session with music.
• findings showed reduced negative emotions, decreased heart rate variability indicating stress response activation, reduced global brain blood flow but increased blood flow to regions such as the right amygdala and anterior hippocampus associated with emotional memory processing.
• Participants reported heightened feelings of Oceanic boundlessness (OBN)-a blissful state linked to unity and emotional release-commonly experienced during psychedelic states.
• Researchers emphasized the novelty of their work but acknowledged limitations such as small sample size and need for controls to isolate music’s effects on the findings.

Indian Opinion Analysis
This study highlights an emerging therapeutic avenue for psychological distress using breathwork accompanied by music to achieve altered states similar to psychedelics without pharmacological intervention’s ethical challenges or restrictions-a global trend increasingly popular in wellness practices worldwide.

For India-a country intertwined deeply with traditional yoga practices that emphasize regulated breathing techniques-it presents two potential implications: greater scientific validation could fortify public trust in domestically-rooted wellness traditions while expanding low-cost therapies that align well with India’s accessible healthcare needs.However, adopting HVB systematically would require interdisciplinary collaboration among clinical research institutes and policymakers ensuring clear guidelines for practice adaptation tailored specifically toward diverse Indian demographics.

Read More: Science Daily