Science Archives

How to Schedule Your Day Around Your Brain’s Energy Levels

When is your energy at its peak? What kind of tasks should you do in the morning? David Rock claims that, when you’re aware of the fluctuation of your brain’s energy levels, you can plan your day around your ebbs and flows, enhancing your productivity. He looks at the science behind your brain’s energy use and gives you approaches to work in tandem with your energy levels. Keep reading to learn how to schedule your day by leveraging your brain’s energy.

The 2 Ways You Might Be Breathing Wrong

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.

How to Strengthen Your Lungs and Increase Their Capacity

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.

The Health Benefits of Slow Breathing

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.

Dual-Task Interference: How to Avoid It & Keep Your Brain Focused

What’s dual-task interference? How is it keeping you from being more productive? Can you avoid it? Dual-task interference is what happens in your brain when you multitask. This interference results in less efficiency and productivity. When you understand the science, you’re better equipped to keep this phenomenon from happening. Keep reading to learn how to maintain your focus and increase your productivity by avoiding dual-task interference.

What Does Myelin Do? It’s Where Talent Comes From

What does myelin do? What role does it play in talent? In The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle reveals that talent comes from myelin, a sheath that’s wrapped around each nerve cell. He further explains how myelin produces skills and talent. Read below to learn the role of myelin in development.

Why You Should Breathe Through the Nose, Not the Mouth

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.

How Breathing CO2 Can Reset Your Fear Response

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.

Where Does Talent Come From? The Scientific Answer

Where does talent come from? Are we born with talent? In The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle goes beyond the nature versus nurture debate and digs into the science of skill-building to answer the question. Coyle says that while we’re not born with talent, there is a science behind developing it. Keep reading to learn where talent comes from.

How to Hack Your Nervous System by Breathing

Can you regulate your nervous system through respiration? How can breathwork help you calm down—or stimulate—your mind? The respiratory system is an opening through which we can consciously influence other autonomic functions. In computer terms, the lungs provide an exploit that we can use to control parts of our bodies that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to, such as the nervous system. Here’s how you can hack your nervous system by breathing.