Here’s a cool bit of brain science news: MIT researchers have found “a brain circuit that drives vocalization and ensures that you talk only when you breathe out, and stop talking when you breathe in.” Using mice, scientists have located where and how these essential functions are controlled.  And, they note, that while speaking is important, the need to breathe overrides it. Lead author Fan Wang, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences, says “Breathing is a survival need. Even though these neurons are sufficient to elicit vocalization, they are under the control of breathing. . .”

Breathing is a survival need. As I say to my clients, if you’re not breathing, you’re not living. Quite literally! Breathing is fundamental to life (I realize again, as I sniffle my way through springtime allergies).

Breathing is also the best way to deal with “nerves,” relieve stress, and center yourself so you can communicate with authentic presence. If you’ve worked with me, you probably know I have no magic wand to turn you into a better speaker. But if I did, It would be learning how to harness the power of your breath. Doing a cursory search of my blog, even I was surprised how often “breathing” as a topic came up.

It is obvious to me that working on your breathing is a handy way to quell “pre-performance anxiety.” But to some of my clients, that seems too simple. So I need to pull out backup from respected outlets.This has always been a favorite, from Harvard Business Review: researchers found that workshop participants who learned deep breathing methods and “underwent a stress task that simulated a high-pressure performance situation, akin to presenting at a business meeting [italics mine] . .  .held steady in terms of breathing and heart rate, suggesting the [breathing] program had instilled in them a buffer against the anxiety typically associated with anticipating a stressful situation. This meant that they were not only in a more positive emotional state, but also that they were more able to think clearly and effectively perform the task at hand.”

Deep breathing helps you meet life’s challenges. And as I go through another box of tissues, I try to take as many deep breaths as I can. Pollen season is short, but breath is forever!