This practice can change the autonomic nervous system (made up of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems) by altering either the amount of oxygen we inhale or the amount of carbon dioxide we exhale. While everyone’s experience with transformational breathing is different. Many people notice they are more connected to their bodies and have a greater awareness of what’s emotionally present. Transformational breathing can be beneficial for those exhausted by trauma as the practice can wake up and retrieve life force energy.

In his book Breath, James Nestor describes how a significant drop in carbon dioxide will alter the pH of blood, activating the limbic system, which is involved in emotions and arousal. This may explain why people feel pronounced emotions such as anger, sadness, or joy during transformational breathing sessions. Extended stimulation of the limbic system could signal to the body that it is dying, which may cause the “rebirthing” experience some report with breathwork. Nestor also suggests that decreased blood flow to the brain is likely the cause of the psychedelic states and hallucinations some experience.