Why Changing The Way You Breathe Will Transform Your Body and Mind with James Nestor #124
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee welcomes science journalist James Nestor, author of "Breath," to discuss the new science of this lost art. They explore the profound impact of proper breathing, including nasal breathing, mastication, and slow breathing, on physical and mental well-being.
Deep Dive Analysis
12 Topic Outline
The Untapped Potential and Lost Art of Breathing
The Critical Role and Benefits of Nasal Breathing
Impact of Diet and Chewing on Mouth and Airway Development
Adult Airway Remodeling and Chewing Techniques
Breathing's Influence on Chronic Conditions like Asthma and Emphysema
The Counterintuitive Benefits of Breathing Less and Slower
How Breathing Affects Circulation, Temperature, and Athletic Performance
Breathing's Connection to Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Stress
Understanding Email Apnea and its Physiological Effects
The Scientific Basis of Ancient Breathing Practices and Prayers
Advanced Breathing Techniques: Conscious Over-breathing and Breath Holds
Freediving as a Masterful Practice of Breath Control
6 Key Concepts
Nasal Breathing Benefits
Breathing through the nose humidifies, pressurizes, filters, and conditions air before it reaches the lungs, allowing for more efficient oxygen absorption. It also helps prevent the loosening of throat tissues that can lead to snoring and sleep apnea.
Masticatory Stress
This refers to the stress and exercise placed on the jaw and facial muscles through chewing tough foods. Adequate masticatory stress, especially during childhood, promotes outward facial growth and larger airways, preventing issues like crooked teeth and smaller mouths.
Optimal Breathing Rate
While 'normal' breathing rates are often cited as 12-18 breaths per minute, optimal efficiency for oxygen exchange and overall body function is achieved at a slower rate, around 6 breaths per minute. This slower breathing allows air to reach deeper into the lungs, improving oxygen absorption and reducing strain on the cardiovascular system.
CO2 Balance
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is crucial for oxygen delivery in the body; oxygen cannot effectively do its job without a proper balance of CO2. Over-breathing (breathing too much or too often) blows off too much CO2, leading to vasoconstriction and reduced oxygen delivery to tissues, which can exacerbate conditions like asthma and anxiety.
Autonomic Nervous System Coherence
This state describes when the body's systems, including heart rate, circulation, and blood pressure, work in harmony at peak efficiency. Slow, rhythmic breathing, particularly around 6 breaths per minute, can induce this state, leading to improved mental clarity, reduced stress, and enhanced healing.
Email Apnea
A phenomenon where individuals unconsciously hold their breath or breathe dysfunctionally while engaged with digital tasks like checking emails or using multiple screens. This can induce a chronic stress state, similar to a fight-or-flight response, leading to increased adrenaline, spiked blood sugar, and potential neurological or physical problems over time.
8 Questions Answered
How we breathe affects every body system, from bone density to processing thoughts and emotions. Incorrect breathing, even if the body compensates, prevents optimal health and can undermine benefits from diet and exercise.
Nasal breathing humidifies, pressurizes, filters, and conditions air for better oxygen absorption, while mouth breathing offers none of these benefits and exposes lungs to environmental elements, potentially leading to snoring and sleep apnea.
Adults can remodel bone in their maxilla (upper jaw) at virtually any age. This can be achieved through increased chewing of tougher foods, chewing on one side to stimulate a parasympathetic response, and using mouth tape at night to train nasal breathing.
Breathing slower and less frequently (e.g., 6 breaths/minute) increases the efficiency of oxygen absorption in the lungs by reducing dead space and allowing air to reach lower lobes. This also decreases strain on the heart, lowers blood pressure, and promotes overall body coherence.
Over-breathing lowers CO2 levels, leading to vasoconstriction and reduced oxygen delivery, which can trigger or exacerbate anxiety and panic attacks. Consciously slowing down breathing can help abate these attacks by restoring CO2 balance and promoting a calm, parasympathetic state.
Email apnea is the unconscious habit of holding one's breath or breathing shallowly while concentrating on digital tasks. This creates a chronic stress response, spiking adrenaline and blood sugar, and can lead to neurological and physical problems similar to sleep apnea.
Yes, studies show that by changing breathing patterns to slow down and breathe more efficiently, asthmatics can significantly reduce the frequency of attacks and improve respiratory function. This is due to better CO2 balance and reduced inflammation.
Nasal breathing allows athletes to perform harder for longer with a lower heart rate and more efficient oxygen use, operating in an aerobic state. Training to breathe correctly, even during exercise, improves endurance and speeds up recovery by preventing lactic acid buildup.
13 Actionable Insights
1. Breathe Through Your Nose Always
Make a conscious effort to breathe through your nose throughout the day and especially at night, as nasal breathing humidifies, pressurizes, and filters air, leading to 20% more oxygen absorption and protecting your lungs.
2. Tape Mouth Shut at Night
Use a small piece of tape (about half a postage stamp size) across your lips at night to train your mouth to stay shut, which can prevent snoring, sleep apnea, and improve overall breathing efficiency and well-being.
3. Practice Slow, Efficient Breathing
Aim for 6-8 breaths per minute, breathing slowly and deeply through your nose, as this increases oxygen absorption, reduces strain on your heart, lowers blood pressure, and promotes a state of coherence and healing in the body.
4. Integrate Slow Breathing Daily
Practice slow, efficient nasal breathing for a few minutes each day, even while watching TV, driving, or at the dinner table, to acclimate your body to this natural form of breathing and develop it into a habit.
5. Chew More & Alternately
Increase masticatory stress by chewing tougher, natural foods, and chew on one side of your mouth at a time to stimulate a parasympathetic (relaxation) response, which can help develop a larger airway and improve digestion.
6. Nasal Breathe During Exercise
When exercising, breathe only through your nose and slow down if you find yourself needing to mouth breathe, as this allows your body to operate in an aerobic state for longer, improving efficiency and recovery.
7. Recognize and Avoid “Email Apnea”
Be aware of the tendency to hold your breath or breathe dysfunctionally when stressed by digital tasks like checking emails or Zoom calls, as this can induce a stress response and negatively impact neurological and physical health.
8. Use Breathing for Transitions
Implement a 2-5 minute slow breathing practice during transition times, such as before meals or shifting from work to home life, to calm your body, reduce stress, and improve digestion and overall well-being.
9. Explore Conscious Over-Breathing
Consider intense, conscious over-breathing practices (like the Wim Hof method) for short periods to purposely stress the body, which can help regulate the autonomic nervous system and immune system, potentially reducing symptoms of autoimmune diseases.
10. Be Skeptical & Self-Experiment
Approach breathing practices with skepticism, research the science yourself, and experiment with simple techniques like 6-breaths-per-minute breathing while monitoring your own body (e.g., blood pressure) to personally verify the benefits.
11. Persist with Nasal Breathing
Understand that acclimating to nasal breathing, especially during exercise, can take weeks or months, so be persistent and allow your nose to open up and adapt over time.
12. Allow Occasional Mouth Breathing
Understand that mouth breathing is natural and fine during specific activities like talking, laughing, or swimming; the focus is on avoiding chronic, habitual mouth breathing, not eliminating it entirely.
13. Seek Breathing Info for Respiratory Issues
If you have asthma or emphysema, seek information on breathing protocols that can complement your medical treatment, as these techniques have been shown to reduce symptoms and improve respiratory function (always consult your doctor before altering medication).
6 Key Quotes
You can eat all the right foods, you can eat paleo or keto or vegan or whatever, you can exercise as much as you want. But if you're not breathing correctly, you're never ever going to be healthy.
James Nestor
The nose is a use it or lose it organ.
James Nestor
You get 20% more oxygen through a nasal breath than you do through a mouth breath.
James Nestor
Just getting by is different than being healthy.
James Nestor
Nature already did all of this for us. It's just in the last hundred years, we thought that we were smarter than nature.
James Nestor
Never work out harder than you can breathe correctly.
Patrick McKeown (quoted by James Nestor)
3 Protocols
Mouth Taping for Nighttime Nasal Breathing
James Nestor- Use a small piece of tape, about half the size of a postage stamp.
- Place it gently across the lips at night.
- The tape serves as a reminder to keep the jaw shut, training the mouth to stay closed during sleep.
- It should be easily removable with the tongue if needed.
Daily Slow Breathing Practice
James Nestor- Breathe through the nose.
- Aim for approximately 6 breaths per minute (e.g., 5.5 seconds inhale, 5.5 seconds exhale).
- Practice for a few minutes a day, starting with what is comfortable (e.g., 8 breaths/minute).
- This can be done anywhere: sitting, watching TV, driving, or before meals.
Breathing for Athletic Performance and Recovery
James Nestor (quoting Patrick McKeown)- Always breathe through the nose during exercise when possible.
- Never work out harder than you can breathe correctly through your nose.
- If you find yourself mouth breathing, slow down your activity until you can maintain nasal breathing.
- Gradually increase intensity while maintaining nasal breathing to improve efficiency and performance.