CO2 Breath Training: A Neuro Perspective

Why has breathing become so important to the training industry over the last few years?

The truth of the matter is that current breathing training focuses on inhalation, but is that the most efficient way to maximize your time and effectiveness?

----> Let's ask a question, and one I want you to think about: What are the benefits of CO2 training, and could they potentially be better?

CO2 Breathing: The Neuro Perspective To Breath Training For Performance

Are you truly maximizing your potential with every breath you take?

Breathing, something so fundamental to our existence, often goes unnoticed and unoptimized in our daily lives. Yet, as we take over 20,000 breaths each day, it's crucial to ask ourselves: Are we breathing efficiently? Are we harnessing the full power of oxygen for our bodies and brains?

Breathing is an essential and automatic function of our body, allowing us to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. However, did you know that the way we breathe can significantly affect our physical, mental, and emotional well-being?

The neuro perspective on breathing focuses on the connection between our brain and breathing. Our breathing patterns are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which also controls other vital functions such as heart rate and digestion. This means that by intentionally changing our breathing, we can influence our brain's activity.

Through research and practice, scientists have found that specific breathing techniques can activate different parts of the brain. For example, deep abdominal breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for promoting relaxation and calming the mind.

At Next Level Neuro, we understand the critical role that optimized CO2 tolerance plays in enhancing overall health and performance.  

While increasing oxygen consumption is crucial for aerobic fitness and performance, training CO2 tolerance and sensitivity can offer complementary benefits for respiratory efficiency, endurance, stress management, and overall well-being.

Combining both approaches may lead to synergistic effects, enhancing overall respiratory function and health.

Here's why we focus on CO2 training in our mentorship and right after these 3 categories you will find 6 advantages of CO2 training in performance. 

1. Alleviate Anxiety

Ever experienced symptoms of anxiety that seem to mimic chronic hyperventilation? You're not alone. Many individuals unknowingly struggle with low CO2 tolerance, leading to over-breathing and under-oxygenation of vital tissues and the brain.

By raising CO2 tolerance levels, you provide your body with more oxygen, often resulting in the alleviation of anxiety symptoms. Through optimized breathing, you regain control over your body's natural rhythms, fostering a sense of calm and well-being.

2. Enhance Exercise Performance

Whether you're a seasoned athlete, a dedicated personal trainer, or a passionate physical therapist, optimizing your breathing can unlock a new performance. By increasing CO2 tolerance, you improve oxygen utilization and raise your body's threshold for exertion.

This translates to increased power output at any heart rate, allowing you to push further, faster, and with greater efficiency. Imagine the possibilities of reaching new heights in your fitness journey simply by mastering your breath.

3. Sharpen Decision-Making Skills

In moments of respiratory distress, clarity of thought often takes a back seat. However, by enhancing CO2 tolerance, you equip yourself with the capacity to think clearly and make sound decisions even under pressure.

Training carbon dioxide (CO2) tolerance or sensitivity, rather than solely focusing on increasing oxygen (O2) consumption, can offer various benefits, particularly in terms of respiratory efficiency and overall health. Here are some (6) potential advantages of CO2 training:

1. Improved respiratory efficiency:

CO2 training often involves techniques aimed at optimizing breathing patterns and increasing tolerance to higher levels of CO2. By enhancing CO2 tolerance, individuals can improve their breathing mechanics, leading to more efficient oxygen uptake and utilization.

2. Enhanced endurance:

Training to tolerate higher levels of CO2 can improve endurance performance. This is because increased CO2 tolerance allows athletes to maintain optimal breathing patterns and prevent the onset of respiratory fatigue during prolonged physical activity.

3. Better stress management:

CO2 training often involves relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing exercises. These practices can help individuals manage stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and reducing physiological arousal.

4. Balanced pH levels:

CO2 plays a crucial role in regulating blood pH. Training to maintain optimal CO2 levels can help ensure proper acid-base balance in the body, which is essential for overall health and performance.

5. Improved oxygen delivery:

Interestingly, optimizing CO2 levels can indirectly improve oxygen delivery to tissues. This is because CO2 acts as a vasodilator, meaning it dilates blood vessels, which can enhance blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues.

6. Better sleep quality:

CO2 training techniques, such as slow breathing exercises, have been shown to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. By reducing physiological arousal and promoting parasympathetic activity, these practices can help individuals achieve deeper and more restful sleep.

Whether you're navigating a challenging workout, facing a critical decision in your professional life, or simply managing the stresses of everyday living, the ability to maintain composure and clarity can be invaluable.  The foundational thought process of applied neurology starts with decreasing the threat (stress) in the brain and how paramount that is to our health. 

Threat (Stress) is pain regardless if it is physical or emotional in the brain.  Your brain can't distinguish between the two. The more stress, the more it sends signals to slow you down.  If you want a more in-depth look at this analogy, click here. 

The training industry has known how poor the population's breathing has been and has looked at it as a strategy or tactic to add to programs.  Just watch what happens to your client's physical and mental health as they learn to increase their CO2 tolerance.  

To learn more about CO2 tolerance, our mentorship, and how Applied Neurology will fit into your proactive, click here.