Intensive Breathwork Really Does Induce an Altered State of Consciousness
High ventilation breathwork (circular breathing) is continuous, uninterrupted breathing, without the pause between exhaling and inhaling. It’s increasingly used in therapeutic contexts and is reported to induce altered states of consciousness, including experiences people associate with psychedelics: perceptual alterations, emotional release, ego dissolution, and a sense of unity. A small 2026 study from the University of Heidelberg (using MRI scans) provides the first evidence as to why these mysterious side effects emerge. The researchers found that this type of breathwork is linked not only to marked changes in cerebral blood flow, but also to alterations in how key brain networks communicate. High ventilation breathwork triggered a “profound reduction” in blood flow in the brain’s gray matter at peak intensity, a 45.5% drop compared to baseline.
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