“The lungs are receiving a greater volume of blood as well, which, combined with the pressure that water exerts on the chest wall, makes them work harder to breathe—approximately 60% harder than on land. This means that aquatic exercise can strengthen the respiratory muscles and improve their efficiency.”
- Wallace J Nichols, Blue Mind
(This is one of my favorite Book 411s, check it out if you haven’t yet)
Resistance breathing has many benefits:
Better cardiovascular health
Stronger respiratory muscles
Less oxidative stress
Reduced inflammation
But if you have no interest in buying a device for resistance breathing, here’s a free alternative: aquatic exercise. You get the calming effects of the water while also strengthening your breathing muscles.
A natural and soothing win-win 🙏