Science

Why do most people breathe incorrectly? How does wrong breathing affect your brain and body? According to James Nestor, the author of Breath, the breathing problems experienced by millions of people today can be traced to how our sinuses and throats evolved over the ages. As a result, we developed a tendency to breathe suboptimally. In this article, you’ll learn why our bodies are poorly adapted to breathing and the two main ways that most of us breathe wrong.

Do you have weak lungs? What can you do to strengthen your lungs and increase their air capacity? According to James Nestor, there are two aspects to strengthening your respiratory system. First off, you need to train the diaphragm muscle that drives your breathing. Secondly, you need to strengthen the muscles and bones of the face that support your vital airways. Here is what to do to strengthen your breathing apparatus.

Is it better to breathe fast or slow? How does slowing down your breath affect oxygen absorption? When we breathe “normally,” we only absorb about 25% of the oxygen we take in. On the other hand, slow breathing lets us absorb more oxygen using fewer breaths—a more efficient process for the whole body that uses less work to produce more energy. Keep reading to learn about the health benefits of slow breathing, according to James Nestor.

Is nose breathing better than mouth breathing? How can you habituate yourself to breathe through your nose? Your nose and sinus cavity are specifically designed to process air in ways your mouth can’t. Breathing through the nose strengthens your airways, regulates your metabolism, and even has a positive effect on your brain. Here’s why you should try to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth.

What happens in the body when you inhale too much carbon dioxide? How can breathing CO2 help you increase your panic tolerance? Like bringing air into different parts of the lungs can trigger different responses in the body, you can also affect unconscious responses by exposing yourself to excess CO2. In particular, chemoreceptors, which act as the body’s fear alarm system, can be trained to have a higher CO2 tolerance. Here’s how you can increase your CO2 tolerance using breathwork.