Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness

Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Decreased CO 2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness Martha Havenith, Max Leidenberger, Jelena Brasanac, Mafalda Corvacho, and 11 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 13 Apr, 2025 Read the published version in Communications Psychology → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Altered states of consciousness (ASCs), induced e.g. by psychedelics, show great potential to treat widespread mental health disorders like depression and PTSD. However, access to such treatments is restricted by legal, medical, and financial barriers. Here, we explore the potential of circular breathwork to serve as an accessible, non-pharmacological alternative to engage similar therapeutic processes. Scientific studies investigating the mental health effects of breathwork are only just emerging and the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we address these questions by tracking physiological and experiential dynamics throughout a breathwork session, comparing two popular forms of breathwork: Holotropic Breathwork ® and Consciously-Connected breathwork. We show that a reduction in end-tidal CO2 pressure due to deliberate hyperventilation is instrumental in catalyzing ASCs during breathwork. ASCs evoked by breathwork were comparable to those produced by psychedelics, and their depth predicted psychological and physiological follow-on effects, including improved well-being and a reduction of depressive symptoms. Moreover, different breathwork formats produced highly similar physiological, experiential and psychological outcomes. These results outline physiological boundary conditions for ASCs to arise in a non-pharmacological context, shedding light on the functional mechanisms of breathwork as well as its potential as a psychotherapeutic tool. Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive neuroscience/Consciousness Social science/Psychology/Human behaviour Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files 202402BreathworkCO2SuppMaterials.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 13 Apr, 2025 Read the published version in Communications Psychology → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3976380","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":274215191,"identity":"a5e25128-f37d-4a57-9967-79f3ac43615d","order_by":0,"name":"Martha Havenith","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2329-7500","institution":"Ernst-Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Martha","middleName":"","lastName":"Havenith","suffix":""},{"id":274215192,"identity":"ba65612a-6db9-4cea-a864-1c3ddcaa088c","order_by":1,"name":"Max Leidenberger","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Max","middleName":"","lastName":"Leidenberger","suffix":""},{"id":274215193,"identity":"b25686fc-553b-402b-a055-d28ea988e196","order_by":2,"name":"Jelena Brasanac","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jelena","middleName":"","lastName":"Brasanac","suffix":""},{"id":274215194,"identity":"04829b52-4021-4c5f-9f1b-f6954f7c9161","order_by":3,"name":"Mafalda Corvacho","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mafalda","middleName":"","lastName":"Corvacho","suffix":""},{"id":274215195,"identity":"f820cb53-e40b-40f6-9be3-6ac59dc30276","order_by":4,"name":"Ines Carmo Figueiredo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ines","middleName":"Carmo","lastName":"Figueiredo","suffix":""},{"id":274215196,"identity":"264abb52-aec0-482d-ad19-6c0fde638b4d","order_by":5,"name":"Leonie Schwarz","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Leonie","middleName":"","lastName":"Schwarz","suffix":""},{"id":274215197,"identity":"8625bd90-1a3d-4768-af56-274250e8864c","order_by":6,"name":"Malin Uthaug","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Malin","middleName":"","lastName":"Uthaug","suffix":""},{"id":274215198,"identity":"1592319c-1872-4eff-8c9a-7e6adb07fac8","order_by":7,"name":"Simona Rakusa","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Simona","middleName":"","lastName":"Rakusa","suffix":""},{"id":274215199,"identity":"27bbd471-8522-4c95-9ffd-944d52e3b8c4","order_by":8,"name":"Marijan Bernardic","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Marijan","middleName":"","lastName":"Bernardic","suffix":""},{"id":274215200,"identity":"231884b0-7814-4979-b7ed-10a1361cca03","order_by":9,"name":"Liliana Vasquez-Mock","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Liliana","middleName":"","lastName":"Vasquez-Mock","suffix":""},{"id":274215201,"identity":"9093a9f7-5bc6-4726-93b5-657247e728f2","order_by":10,"name":"Sergio Perez-Rosal","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sergio","middleName":"","lastName":"Perez-Rosal","suffix":""},{"id":274215202,"identity":"e6fa71d8-f096-4d3d-9cb4-f570bd0d0e02","order_by":11,"name":"Robin Carhart-Harris","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Imperial College London","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Robin","middleName":"","lastName":"Carhart-Harris","suffix":""},{"id":274215203,"identity":"9db2c2c5-6de0-4c17-a513-266505fba48b","order_by":12,"name":"Stefan Gold","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Stefan","middleName":"","lastName":"Gold","suffix":""},{"id":274215204,"identity":"b8bd0a45-391b-41de-8117-e653fdae011e","order_by":13,"name":"Henrik Jungaberle","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Henrik","middleName":"","lastName":"Jungaberle","suffix":""},{"id":274215205,"identity":"d348a466-2f59-46db-8733-c5e99f3f6063","order_by":14,"name":"Andrea Jungaberle","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Andrea","middleName":"","lastName":"Jungaberle","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-02-21 17:16:33","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00247-0","type":"published","date":"2025-04-13T04:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":80469729,"identity":"3520689f-4576-4ec1-b5a1-332b413cd0fb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-13 07:08:01","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1245286,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"202402BreathworkCO2Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3976380/v1_covered_4056052a-a246-4dab-bd30-2135fea5ff06.pdf"},{"id":51459076,"identity":"0cd35163-c1a5-4ff4-a039-513dce2a9315","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-22 03:30:50","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":285073,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"202402BreathworkCO2SuppMaterials.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3976380/v1/7fa87bd802036164e8442969.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eDecreased CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAltered states of consciousness (ASCs), induced e.g. by psychedelics, show great potential to treat widespread mental health disorders like depression and PTSD. However, access to such treatments is restricted by legal, medical, and financial barriers. Here, we explore the potential of circular breathwork to serve as an accessible, non-pharmacological alternative to engage similar therapeutic processes. Scientific studies investigating the mental health effects of breathwork are only just emerging and the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we address these questions by tracking physiological and experiential dynamics throughout a breathwork session, comparing two popular forms of breathwork: Holotropic Breathwork\u003csup\u003e®\u003c/sup\u003e and Consciously-Connected breathwork. We show that a reduction in end-tidal CO2 pressure due to deliberate hyperventilation is instrumental in catalyzing ASCs during breathwork. ASCs evoked by breathwork were comparable to those produced by psychedelics, and their depth predicted psychological and physiological follow-on effects, including improved well-being and a reduction of depressive symptoms. Moreover, different breathwork formats produced highly similar physiological, experiential and psychological outcomes. These results outline physiological boundary conditions for ASCs to arise in a non-pharmacological context, shedding light on the functional mechanisms of breathwork as well as its potential as a psychotherapeutic tool.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-02-22 03:30:45","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3976380/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"communications-psychology","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"commspsychol","sideBox":"Learn more about [Communications Psychology](http://www.nature.com/commspsychol/)","snPcode":"44271","submissionUrl":"https://mts-commspsychol.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex","title":"Communications Psychology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Communications Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9b0b4c45-f019-4840-b8e7-f424425bac85","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 22nd, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":28903962,"name":"Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive neuroscience/Consciousness"},{"id":28903963,"name":"Social science/Psychology/Human behaviour"},{"id":28903964,"name":"Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-04-13T07:07:53+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-3976380","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00247-0","journal":{"identity":"communications-psychology","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Communications Psychology"},"publishedOn":"2025-04-13 04:00:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 13th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-02-22 03:30:45","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s44271-025-00247-0","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00247-0","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3976380","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3976380","identity":"rs-3976380","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}