The Science Supporting the Sound Breath Toolkit
The Sound Breath Toolkit is a new stress-reduction practice for people feeling anxiety or trauma. It uses breath, supported by sound and movement, to help the autonomic nervous system return to balance.
Produced by sound researcher Joshua Leeds, the Sound Breath Toolkit is highly informed by the brilliant discoveries of Dr. Alfred Tomatis and polyvagal theories of Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. SBTK consists of exercises centered around extended nasal exhalation. Smart Breathing techniques can be adapted to your physical circumstances and added to your existing daily activities.
By gently causing the vagal nerve to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, we invite the sympathetic nervous system’s overloaded fight-or-flight response to return to a calm place of autonomic rest-and-digest.
In the past, our autonomic nervous system (ANS) was a first defense for fear. Over millennia, the “automatic” evolved into a turbo charger for running away. However, these days there are no more saber-tooth tigers chasing us. And that’s the problem: we’re overusing an occasional escape mode for daily life issues.
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Here are some of the resources I used for the Sound Breath Toolkit.
Recommended Reading
Books:
​Tomatis: When Listening Comes Alive by Paul Madaule
Porges: Our PolyVagal World by Seth Porges and Stephen W. Porges
Research Papers:
This partial topic list of research areas was accomplished with the assistance of Claude.AI. Full citations can be found here.
1. Humming & Nitric Oxide
2. Heart Rate Variability, Breathing Rate & Biofeedback
3. Vagal Tone, Singing & Vocal/Laryngeal Mechanisms
4. Autonomic Nervous System Aging
5. Nasal Breathing, COâ‚‚ / Oâ‚‚ Physiology
6. Rhythm, Entrainment & Neuroplasticity
7. Circadian Rhythms & ANS Patterns
8. Polyvagal Theory — Status & Scientific Caveats
9. Breath Ratios & Extended Exhalation