Listen Instead of Reading
4 Thoughts
1. A Friendly Reminder to Exhale More than 70%
In Heart Breath Mind, Leah Lagos discusses a fascinating study where a group of people were instructed to only exhale about 70% of their air with each breath.
Here’s what happened:
“After just 30 seconds of this subpar breathing, almost every subject reported a climb in unpleasant symptoms, including anxiety, dizziness, lightheadedness, and neck and shoulder tension.”
The fix? Slow breathing with full exhalations. Give it a try and see for yourself.
2. An Ancient Breath and the Door to Heaven
“By relying on the ‘door and the window’ (is meant) the nose as the door of heaven, and the mouth as the window of the earth. It follows, then normally that the nose inhales and the mouth (should) exhale, and (this is) beneficial to breathing. ”
This ancient approach was way ahead of science.
In fact, although the translation reads a bit choppy, we now know this method of nose-in/mouth-out can increase whole-body oxygenation by more than 10%.
Just don’t forget to exhale fully : )
***
P.S. “The nose as the door of heaven”…I felt compelled to re-emphasize that 😊
3. Two Yogic Breathing Experts Describe the Balancing Act of Alternate Nostril Breathing
“Ultimately, in the hatha yoga tradition, the intention with these nostril-specific practices is to establish balance between the two sides of the nervous system, so neither is dominant.”
- Robin Rothenberg, Restoring Prāna
It sounds counterintuitive, but the reason we practice alternate nostril breathing (or ANB) is for balance, so neither side is dominant.
I love the analogy Eddie Stern uses: “You can think about breathing through alternate nostrils in the same way that we think about stretching both the right and the left sides of our bodies when we do yoga postures.”
With ANB, we’re “stretching” different sides of the nervous system (since the right nostril is sympathetic and the left is parasympathetic). But the goal is the same: we train each side separately so they function better as a whole.
4. How to be “Happy Right Away”
“The group that holds the pen between their teeth (which, you may notice, creates a sort of smile) are HAPPIER at the end of the experiment than people who hold the pen between their lips (which, you may notice, creates a sort-of frown).”
- Brian Johnson, +1 On Smiling
This passage summarized a study showing that the act of smiling, even without a reason, makes you happier. And I think the same is true for slow breathing.
As Thich Nhat Hahn says beautifully, “You only need to practice mindful breathing for a few seconds, and you'll be happy right away.”
So let’s smile and breathe mindfully to be a little happier, today : )
Extra Thought: Breathing for Diabetes
I’m giving a short 15-min presentation on Breathing for Diabetes at the MAPS Modern Wellness Summit this Saturday, December 4th. It’s a free virtual event with a ton of amazing speakers, so sign-up if you’re interested:
1 QUOTE
“Our breathing is designed to help us release any tensions that have become so much a part of us that we no longer sense their presence.”
- Carla Melucci Ardito
1 ANSWER
Category: Dysfunctional Breathing
Answer: When the chest and abdomen move in during inhalation and out during exhalation, it’s called this type of breathing.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is paradoxical breathing?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
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Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.