Navigate Select ESC Close

Essentials: Breathing for Mental & Physical Health & Performance | Dr. Jack Feldman

2025-11-13 Science & Technology
26.3k
1.2k
68
Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman
7.5m subscribers

Mechanics and Neuroscience of Breathing Coupled with Cognitive Enhancement

Master how fundamental respiratory neural circuits regulate essential physiological needs and discover specific breathwork patterns and supplementation strategies proven to modulate emotional resilience and cognitive performance.

Short Summary

  • Breathing rhythm initiates in the Pre-Bötzinger Complex, driving metabolic needs (O2 intake, $\text{CO}_2$ removal) via the diaphragm.
  • Physiological sighs occur automatically every five minutes to prevent alveolar collapse, which is crucial for efficient oxygen exchange.
  • Volitional breath control impacts brain state through olfactory, vagal, and $\text{CO}_2$/pH modulation, offering a tool against anxiety and potentially depression circuits.
  • Magnesium L-Threonate enhances neuroplasticity, demonstrated in mice to deepen long-term potentiation (LTP) by lowering background neuronal activity.
  • Mechanistic studies, like rodent fear conditioning, validate that slow, controlled breathing practice reduces fear responses independent of placebo effects.

This episode explores the foundational neurobiology of breath generation with Dr. Jack Feldman. Specialists detail the mechanics, from the diaphragm's evolutionary role to the control centers in the brainstem. They also provide actionable insights on utilizing breath patterns and specific compounds like Magnesium L-Threonate to directly influence mood, resilience, and memory function.

Unlock all features

FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.

Description

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Jack Feldman, PhD, a Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a leading expert in the science of breathing. We explain the mechanics of breathing and the neural circuits that generate and regulate our breathing rhythm. We also discuss how breathing patterns profoundly influence mental states, including their role in reducing anxiety and enhancing emotional resilience. Dr. Feldman also shares practical tools, such as box breathing for daily performance and magnesium L-threonate supplementation to support cognitive health and longevity. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/11vofKY Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/GLgKkG44MGo Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Dr. Jack Feldman* UCLA academic profile: https://bioscience.ucla.edu/people/jack-feldman Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7VU42UMAAAAJ&hl=en Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_L._Feldman X: https://x.com/prebotzinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacklfeldman *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Jack Feldman 00:00:23 Breathing Mechanics, Diaphragm; Pre-Bötzinger Complex & Breath Initiation 00:03:25 Nose vs Mouth Breathing 00:04:23 Active Expiration & Brain; Retrotrapezoid Nucleus 00:07:32 Diaphragm & Evolution; Lung Surface Area & Alveoli, Oxygen Exchange 00:11:56 Diaphragmatic vs Non-Diaphragmatic Breathing 00:13:23 Physiological Sighs: Frequency & Function; Polio & Ventilators 00:17:21 Drug Overdose, Death & Gasps 00:19:06 Meditation, Slow Breathing & Fear Conditioning Study 00:22:57 Mechanistic Science in Breathwork Validation; Breath Practice & Reduced Fear 00:24:50 Breathing & Emotional/Cognitive State, Olfaction, Vagus Nerve 00:27:13 Carbon Dioxide, Hyperventilation & Anxiety, Emotion 00:29:27 Breathing & Autonomic Processes Coordination; Depression & Breath Practices 00:32:44 Tool: Breathwork Practices, Box Breathing, Tummo, Wim Hof 00:34:47 Magnesium L-Threonate & Cognitive Enhancement; Compound Refinement 00:40:29 Clinical Trial, Magnesium L-Threonate & Cognitive Improvements; Dose, Sleep 00:44:28 Acknowledgements Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Top Comments (10)

@epicanova 2025-11-13

I’ve been holding my breath for this one

61
@omeroonie 2025-11-13

Been waiting for this one so now I can breathe

42 3 replies
@PrismaticKitty 2025-11-14

No exaggeration, proper breathing technique can change your life. It did mine. thank you for sharing this important knowledge!! ❤

26 3 replies
@hubermanlab 2025-11-13

Thank you for watching. Please click the subscribe tab and then the "bell" icon to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube and get notified when new content is posted... And thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew

24 8 replies
@marinagordon1273 2025-11-13

Dr Huberman, I’ve really been loving your podcast especially episodes touching on mental health. I know I and many others would be forever grateful if you’d create an episode on social anxiety soon please. Thank you.

23
@aizome_textiles 2025-11-13

love seeing discussions that connect breathing, cognitive health, and longevity. curious how environmental factors like indoor air quality or toxins might also play a role here

5
@ProfoundAmbiences 2025-11-14

Thank you for all that you do ! I love the dialogues.

2
@LCarefortheworld 2025-11-16

Thank you, Dr Huberman for the wonderful informative episode!

1
@inspirephysicaltherapy5103 2025-11-25

Thank you Andrew and Dr Feldman. Breathing is so central to everything we do. Dr Feldman was outstanding on the mechanisms of breathing. Please spend more time on this topic and consider talking to Ron Hruska of the Postural Restoration Institute regarding how breathing affects our movement patterns.

1
@Vi_Srividya 2025-11-21

Dr. Huberman, I just wanted to say thank you for making complex topics so easy to understand. I've been loving your episodes and have learned so much!

0

Unlock the Data Inside
Turn Videos into Knowledge

  • Get FREE 10/day: transcripts, summaries, chats
  • Chat with videos, export text & PDF
  • $1 free API credit for RAG, chatbots & research

Free forever plan • All features unlocked

App screenshot