Breathing Cycles
Music-guided breathing — by Øyvind Blikstad
Breathing Cycles is a long-term artistic and research-based exploration of how sound and rhythm can influence breath, the nervous system and human perception. The project has been developed over more than a decade and is currently used in education, mental health work and self-regulation practices.
Recognition & use
- Used in primary and secondary education in Norway
- Integrated in the curriculum for Public Health & Life Skills
- Part of the national educational project Livet & Sånn
- Referenced by NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)
- More than 1.5 million streams across platforms
- Used by therapists, educators, athletes and individuals worldwide
Research & method
- Slow, guided breathing increases Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
- Higher HRV is linked to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system
- Low-frequency, spatial sound enhances interoceptive awareness
- Method aligns with current research on vagus nerve stimulation via breath
“Breathing Cycles is not a product. It is a rhythm the body remembers.”
This project is part of an ongoing broader exploration of sound, resonance and embodied perception.
Learn more at breathingcycles.com