Have you noticed your clients struggling with focus and attention? Here’s the truth, our attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter. There is so much stimulus constantly happening around us, so many distractions. We’re getting our information from more sources than ever. And we are participating in more forms of entertainment than ever before. 

Personally, I can honestly say that keeping my attention on anything for extended periods of time has been a struggle. So, learning how to increase attention span has become a big part of my experimental and research life. 

Why Breathwork is the Best Solution for Focus

Without fail though, I continue to go back to breathwork being the best. I’ve been practicing breathwork for years now personally and with my clients, and it’s tough to say that anything else gets me to focus like a little breathwork. Even just thirty seconds of intentional breathing throughout the day. Beyond all the benefits that it provides your mind and body, learning how to increase attention span is another benefit of breathwork that deserves its own blog post.

The Science Behind Breathwork and Attention

Not only do I notice huge anecdotal shifts in attention after breathwork, but the science backs it! Get this — researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and the Global Brain Health Institute found some pretty cool stuff. We read over on the Science Daily website, based on the study I mentioned, focused breathing affects levels of noradrenaline, a natural brain chemical messenger. This is the stuff that gets released into your bloodstream when you are curious, focused, or emotionally activated. It helps you boost focus, sustain concentration, and maintain alertness and motivation. 

How Breathwork Helps Manage Stress and Improve Health

Breathwork is one of the most powerful (and free) tools that we have to increase attention spans and improve focus. Breathwork can help you and your clients manage stress, develop optimal health, and guide us in spiritual advancement. Now, there’s the thing. When we’re stressed, we produce waaaay too much of that noradrenaline stuff, which makes it realllllly hard for us to focus, and oftentimes makes us feel lethargic, which can lead us to a mid-day slump.

Replacing Midday Coffee with Breathwork

Maybe you see this pattern come up in your coaching or therapy practice? Your clients hit an afternoon wall and think they just need more coffee. Or they feel like they’ve lost all their ability to focus on anything that actually matters? I totally understand and the only thing that I found (aside from an absurd amount of coffee — which I don’t even drink anymore), is utilizing breathwork. 

Research Findings: The Connection Between Breath Patterns and Attention

The researchers who put together the study above, looked at the breathing patterns of the study participants and found that “participants who focused well while undertaking a task that demanded a lot of attention had greater synchronisation between their breathing patterns and their attention, than those who had poor focus.” The authors of the study believed that it may be possible to use breath control techniques as a way to increase attention span and boost brain health — which aligns with my expereince too.

My Personal Experience with Breathwork

Honestly, breathwork has been the sole thing in my life to bring me an incredible amount of energy, joy, focus, and has helped me develop my intuition. Learning how to increase my attention span with breathwork has helped me refocus my brain and experience calm – and I just know it has the same power to help you and your clients do the same.