Chimes integrated with the music cue breathing, inhale and exhale.

bpm indicates breaths per minute.

Music for Breath Control and Meditation engages the listener with soulful tunes that help develop awareness and control of the breath. Breath awareness and control are not only fundamental skills for meditation, but are also effective strategies to deal with acute exacerbations of pain, stress, and anxiety.

​What makes this album unique is its combination of science with music, to produce an expected physiological response. While listening to this album, you are actively regulating your autonomic nervous system, by lowering the sympathetic nervous system activity, commonly referred to as the “fight or flight response.” A chronically overactive sympathetic nervous system, i.e. excessive physical or mental stress, is the cause of many diseases. When you engage with this music, you are not only actively decreasing the stress response, but with continued practice, you will be re-wiring your nervous system and changing your brain!

Learn more here: www.allthingsautonomic.com

​​INSTRUCTIONS: Start with the first song, set at 10 breaths per minute (bpm). Perform diaphragmatic or belly breathing (see below) and inhale or exhale at the sound of the chime. Breathing should be relaxed and not forced. If it’s difficult to perform when seated, then practice lying down. Gradually progress to the next song of slower pace, as long as your breathing remains relaxed. Listen to the songs independently or the entire album at one setting for a gradual lowering of breath pace. At some point in each song, the chimes will disappear, but continue to breathe along with the music.

Diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing (i.e. belly rises with inhale; falls with exhale; minimal chest movement), is a known control mechanism for effectively reducing sympathetic nervous system activity. Pacing diaphragmatic breathing is also another powerful mechanism for regulating the autonomic nervous system. The average respiration rate for humans is anywhere from 12 to 16 breaths per minute. Anything less than 10 breaths per minute will have some impact on reducing sympathetic nervous system activity. At a certain pace when diaphragmatic breathing becomes relaxed, consistent, slow, and deep- heart rate and respiration depth will synchronize or “resonate,” producing “coherence.” Basically, your heart will “like the pace of your breath” and start to beat along with it in a consistent pattern. Practicing breathing at this pace can increase Heart Rate Variability (HRV) or Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA), which not only reflect a more relaxed autonomic nervous system, but are also known indicators for the development of future, chronic illnesses.

​The benefits of practicing paced diaphragmatic breathing are immense. When one learns how to control the autonomic nervous system, one can then influence the activity of the cardiac, vascular, digestive, immune, neurologic, and limbic systems! Through the power of breath and music, this album will help you learn how to take control of your own health and wellness!