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4 Thoughts
1. How to Hold Your Breath for 6 Hours (hint: you already do)
Let’s say you take an average of 15 breaths/min, or 21,600 per day.
Let’s also say, like me, you’re a decent (but not perfect) breather.
Thus, at the end of each of those 21,600 breaths, there’s a short pause.
For simplicity, let’s say that pause is 1-sec (sometimes shorter or longer).
That adds up to 21,600 seconds without breathing each day.
That’s a 6-hour breath hold each day.
That’s 1/4 of your day.
That’s 1/4 of your life.
That’s 🤯 🤯 🤯
***
P.S. This thought was inspired by this +1 on heart beats.
2. Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science: Alternate Nostril Breathing and the Brain
“Idā, which is activated by directing the breath through the left nostril, is said to establish a calm, introspective awareness, and have a cooling effect. Pingalā, the more stimulating side, is heating and mobilizing, and is activated through right-nostril breathing. Alternating the breath through both nostrils is said to cultivate balance and equanimity.”
- Robin Rothenberg, Restoring Prana
A recent study published in Nature tested these ancient yogic claims using EEG. Short story: the yogis were basically right. Left-nostril breathing activates brain regions “associated with a more relaxed state and introspective thinking.”
The right-nostril results were less certain, but the practice did lead to “higher activity compared to left airway UNB in all frequency bands across the whole scalp except in posterior areas.”
Of course, there are always caveats and limitations. However, one thing seems pretty clear: Left-nostril breathing can be used to reach calm and introspective states anytime we need them. I use it all the time—I hope you will too.
3. More Time: Breathing Exercises Get More Enjoyable with Practice
“How you feel the first time you try a new form of exercise is not necessarily how you’ll feel after you gain more experience. For many, exercise is an acquired pleasure. The joys of an activity reveal themselves slowly as the body and brain adapt.”
- Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., The Joy of Movement
And the exact same is true for breathing exercises.
Give them time (I suggest about a week) so your body and brain can adapt. The benefits will gradually reveal themselves, and you’ll soon look forward to, and even find bliss in, your practice.
4. The Long-Term Benefits of Breathing Exercises: Normalize Cortisol and Be Calmer
“The long-term effects of a daily breathing practice, just like those of a daily exercise routine, are even more pronounced. Preliminary studies have found that regularly practicing breathing exercises normalizes your level of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone.’ As a regular practice, breathing can recondition your body to a state of greater calm, helping it bounce back from stress more quickly and perhaps reducing reactivity in the face of challenges…you can use daily breathing exercises to prepare your nervous system to be resilient in the face of stressful events.”*
- Emma Sepällä, Ph.D., The Happiness Track
And once your body and brain adapt, here’s why it’s so important to stick with these breathing exercises. You can recondition your body & nervous system to be calmer, then watch the benefits aggregate and compound over time 🙏
1 QUOTE
“In the deepest sense, the breath itself is the ultimate gift of spirit.”
- Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go There You Are
1 ANSWER
Category: The Nose
Answer: The two nostrils are physically distinct, and each one has its own unique supply of these.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What are blood flow and nerve endings?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. 99. Smoke signal
* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.
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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.