Hello, and happy Monday. Here are 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy") related to breathing that I hope you enjoy.
4 THOUGHTS
1. Can Mouth Breathing Increase Nitric Oxide?
Yes, but only if done on the exhale.
Nitric oxide (NO) is continuously produced in the nasal cavity. When we inhale through the nose, we harness this wondrous molecule and its benefits in the airways and lungs.
But if we also exhale through our nose, some of it gets washed out. Conversely, if we exhale through our mouth, the NO continues to accumulate in the nasal cavity. Then, more is brought in with the next nasal inhale.
In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Here’s what a researcher at the UCLA School of Medicine says:
"Exhaling through the nose is highly wasteful in that the NO would be expelled away from the lungs, where it is needed most." - Louis J. Ignarro, Inhaled NO and COVID-19
While I personally don’t recommend exhaling through the mouth all the time, there are clearly times when it might be beneficial, even if only for short periods.
The next thought has a few ideas about putting this knowledge into practice.
2. Increase Oxygenation by 10% (without increasing carbon dioxide)
"The subject inhaled through the nose with the mouth closed and exhaled through the mouth with the nose blocked. Thereby, a maximum of NO from the nasal airways is inhaled while a minimum is lost during exhalation." - Lundberg et al. (1996)
This protocol, nose in - mouth out, led to a 10% increase in tissue oxygenation when compared with mouth in-nasal out.
Notably, there were no significant carbon dioxide changes between protocols. Thus, by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, we can increase tissue oxygenation without increasing carbon dioxide.
It’s all due to nitric oxide.
We should not base all our breathing on any one conclusion. And many factors need to be weighed, such as moisture and heat loss from exhaling through the mouth. But these results are intriguing nonetheless.
Here’s a simple way I put them into practice: I start each slow breathing session with 3-5 nose in - mouth out breaths before switching to nose in - nose out.
This study also implies that nose in - mouth out could increase oxygenation to the working muscles during exercise. So, if you’re uncomfortable with nasal-only breathing during your workout, switching to nose in - mouth out could be a beneficial compromise from an oxygenation perspective.
3. Why Slowing Your Breathing Helps You Relax
"By repeatedly stimulating the vagus nerve during those long exhalations, slow breathing may shift the nervous system towards that more restful state, resulting in positive changes like a lower heart rate and lower blood pressure." (my emphasis)
It’s always fun to find an article reporting the science behind slow breathing from a news outlet like BBC. They even present some information you might not have considered, like how taking "big breaths" might benefit relaxation.
The article also touches on everything from pain to arthritis and provides many useful references. It's an excellent summary. Enjoy!
Thanks to 411 reader A. P. for inspiring this thought.
4. What is Breathing? And is it Woo-Woo (part II)?
When I was drafting last week’s thought about breathing being woo-woo, my grammar editor said that I was using the word "breathe" too much. Almost ironically, the synonym it suggested was: live.
I thought, "funny that a word synonymous with life itself is often considered woo-woo." But at the same time, interchanging "breath" with "life" is borderline woo-woo : )
But this is an appropriate synonym. Because at its root, what is breathing? At the risk of sounding a bit woo-woo myself, here is one answer: breathing is living.
1 QUOTE
"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on the earth."
- Sanskrit Proverb
1 ANSWER
Answer: This is the lowest blood oxygen saturation recorded in a human climbing Mount Everest.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy music.)
…
Question: What is 34.4%?
Wim Hof
"Fainting is okay, it just means you went deep." – Wim Hof
Maybe Wim Hof has some crazy ideas, but he has done more for "breathing" than just about anyone on this planet. I am incredibly grateful for him and his work.
His new book comes out tomorrow. I ordered a copy and hope you will too.
In good breath,
Nick