Every gamer has a reason as to why they lose a gunfight. In Season 2 of Black Ops 7 there are now so many weapons, scorestreaks and equipment that can impact your performance. But a scientist claims you’re losing gunfights in Call Of Duty because you’re breathing wrong.

With the weapon meta constantly changing, you need to adapt and improve your skills and gameplay to keep on top. Something that can help with this are also in your control outside of the gameplay.

Research is suggesting that controlling your breathing will improve your gunfights.

How Can Breathing Impact Your Performance In Call of Duty?

Founder, CEO & Chemist at Neuroptima, Bailey Klemmensen, has posted on X about a study that shows how breathing can affect your gameplay in FPS games.

In a study, participants reaction times were 20-50ms faster during inhalation vs exhalation (which he suggests is the equivalent of 5-12 frames at 240fps). Exhlaing mid-peek is costing players gunfights.

The theory is that the body’s internal state can affect how you perceive things – breathing also plays an important role. The body is constantly monitoring changes, it can change your perception of things and thus how you react. The study found that how well you perform on thinking or sensory tasks can depend on how and when you’re breathing.

It could be linked to the fact that breathing in:

• Increases sympathetic nervous system activity (alertness system)
• Slightly increases heart rate
• Increases arousal
• Boosts sensory processing

So you have faster reaction times, better detection of faint stimuli and increased attention.

Where as breathing out:

• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (calming system)
• Slows heart rate
• Reduces arousal
• Promotes relaxation

Exhaling makes you calmer — but sometimes slightly less reactive.

Bailey goes on to advise that gamers practice inhaling before peeking for a fight, holding during the fight and then exhaling after.