Welcome to the "The Breathing 4.1.1."
Below, I share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (think "Jeopardy"). Enjoy!
4 THOUGHTS
1. Are Type-1 Diabetics Protected from Serious COVID-19 Complications?
Not exactly breathing related, but a short article recently published in Medical Hypotheses proposed the following: Type-1 diabetics might be "spared" from the more severe complications of COVID-19 because we produce higher quantities of a specific class of pro-inflammatory cytokines called Th-1.
Thus, the reason our insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed might be the same reason we’re protected from COVID-19. Awesome, I guess?
Click Here to Read the Article
Thanks to Craig Kasper (also a type-1 diabetic) at Bravest for sharing this article with me!
2. Inhale-to-Exhale Ratio: Does it Matter?
Most studies show that either (1) an equal inhale-to-exhale ratio or (2) a longer exhale are both useful for improving cardiovascular and autonomic function. Longer exhalations are associated with more relaxation, whereas equal breaths are more balancing for the nervous system.
But the most critical factor is finding which approach feels most comfortable to you. And this is backed by science.
3. Inverting the Breathing Gears for Down-Regulation
The Skill of Stress course is excellent. I’m working my way through it slowly, but one thing I loved was Emily’s way of inverting the "Breathing Gears" to down-regulate.
Here’s the idea. If you’re stressed and breathing in and out through your mouth, don’t immediately try to switch to nasal in, nasal out. Gear down slowly. For example, you could follow this progression to downshift your nervous system:
Mouth in, Mouth out (Progressive)
Nasal in, Mouth out (Down)
Nasal in, Nasal out (Regulation)
4. Why Wim Hof Doesn’t Care about Nose or Mouth Breathing
"Just breathe mother f*****!" is a famous Wim Hof one-liner. Along with his saying that "any hole will do" when asked how to breathe during his method.
But James Nestor nailed it when Joe Rogan recently asked him why Wim doesn’t care about nose or mouth: "He wants to make this easy and accessible for people…so many people can’t breathe through their noses…"
Wim’s advice to "use any hole" is to simply make it easier and more accessible. And it’s excellent advice if you’re going to do it for 20-30 mins a day. There will only be problems if mouth breathing becomes habitual (like it did for me).
1 QUOTE
"Therefore, any conditions to affect normal respiratory route during sleep (nasal breathing) can…have negative effects on sleep and daily life."
1 ANSWER
Answer: The farthest distance droplets from a sneeze can travel.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy music.)
…
Question: What is 27 feet?
In good breath,
Nick
P.S. His Poor Elbows.