Benefits

Research shows the powerful effects of conscious breathing and awareness:

Brain Integration

Prolonged stress has been shown to shrink the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for learning, memory, cognition and emotional regulation. At the same time, the amygdala, which determines emotional responses based on sensory information that it perceives as a threat or not, has been shown to increase in size due to its overstimulation.

Developing healthy breathing patterns:

Calms the stress response thereby increasing oxygen to the hippocampus and reducing the size of the amygdala
Strengthens focus and attention
Promotes brain integration
Fosters deeper and better sleep by releasing physical, mental and emotional tension
Strengthens self-awareness

This directly and/or indirectly helps the student do the following:

Learn better stress management and consciously choose right action
Alleviate anxiety and depression with slow, rhythmic breathing
Naturally increase blood oxygen, vital for the growth of healthy cells

the b.r.a.v.e. technique and brainwave states

There are five distinct brainwave frequencies. Each frequency has its own set of characteristics representing a specific level of brain activity as well as a unique state of being. All of our thoughts, feelings and emotions can be measured as the communication of neurons within our brains. The Take a Breath methodology sequentially moves through those states; From Beta the most active and external, through Alpha includes a deepening of the relaxation response and moving into stillness, then Theta a deep relaxation response and internal focus and awareness, and finally into Delta which is a deep state of levels of sleep.