Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

by James Nestor

RESONANT (COHERENT) BREATHING A calming practice that places the heart, lungs, and circulation into a state of coherence, where the systems of the body are working at peak efficiency. There is no more essential technique, and none more basic. Sit up straight, relax the shoulders and belly, and exhale. Inhale softly for 5.5 seconds, expanding the belly as air fills the bottom of the lungs. Without pausing, exhale softly for 5.5 seconds, bringing the belly in as the lungs empty. Each breath should feel like a circle. Repeat at least ten times, more if possible. Several apps offer timers and visual guides. My favorites are Paced Breathing and My Cardiac Coherence, both of which are free. I try to practice this technique as often as possible.

BUTEYKO BREATHING

Control Pause A diagnostic tool to gauge general respiratory health and breathing progress. Place a watch with a second hand or mobile phone with a stopwatch close by. Sit up with a straight back. Pinch both nostrils closed with the thumb and forefinger of either hand, then exhale softly out your mouth to the natural conclusion. Start the stopwatch and hold the breath. When you feel the first potent desire to breathe, note the time and take a soft inhale.

Mini Breathholds A key component to Buteyko breathing is to practice breathing less all the time, which is what this technique trains the body to do. Thousands of Buteyko practitioners, and several medical researchers, swear by it to stave off asthma and anxiety attacks. Exhale gently and hold the breath for half the time of the Control Pause. (For instance, if the Control Pause is 40 seconds, the Mini Breathhold would be 20.) Repeat from 100 to 500 times a day. Setting up timers throughout the day, every 15 minutes or so, can be helpful reminders.

Nose Songs Nitric oxide is a powerhouse molecule that widens capillaries, increases oxygenation, and relaxes the smooth muscles. Humming increases the release of nitric oxide in the nasal passages 15-fold. There is the most effective, and simple, method for increasing this essential gas. Breathe normally through the nose and hum, any song or sound. Practice for at least five minutes a day, more if possible. It may sound ridiculous, and feel ridiculous, and annoy those nearby, but the effects can be potent.

Walking/Running Less extreme hypoventilation exercises (other than the misery I experienced jogging in Golden Gate Park) offer many of the benefits of high-altitude training. They are easy and can be practiced anywhere. Walk or run for a minute or so while breathing normally through the nose. Exhale and pinch the nose closed while keeping the same pace. When you sense a palpable air hunger, release the nose and breathe very gently, at about half of ...

Decongest the Nose Sit up straight and exhale a soft breath, then pinch both nostrils shut. Try to keep your mind off the breathholding; shake your head up and down or side to side; go for a quick walk, or jump and run. Once you feel a very potent sense of air hunger, take a very slow and controlled breath in through the nose. (If the nose is still congested, breathe softly through the mouth with pursed lips.) Con...

Gum Any gum chewing can strengthen the jaw and stimulate stem cell growth, but harder textured varieties offer a more vigorous workout. Falim, a Turkish brand, is as tough as shoe leather and each piece lasts for about an hour. I’ve found the Sugarless Mint to be the most palatable. (Other flavors, such as Carbonate, Mint Grass, and sugar-filled varieties, tend to be softer and grosser.) Mastic gum, which comes from the resin of the evergreen shrub Pistacia lentiscus, has been cultivated in the Greek islands for thousands of years. Several brands are available through online retailers. The stuff can taste nasty but offers a rigorous jaw workout.

Oral Devices As of this writing, Ted Belfor and his colleague, Scott Simonetti, received FDA clearance for a device called the POD (Preventive Oral Device), a small retainer that fits along the bottom row of teeth and simulates chewing stress. For more information, see www.discoverthepod.com and www.drtheodorebelfore.com [inactive].

TUMMO There are two forms of Tummo—one that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, and another which triggers a parasympathetic response. Both work, but the former, made popular by Wim Hof, is much more accessible. It’s worth mentioning again that this technique should never be practiced near water, or while driving or walking, or in any other circumstances where you might get hurt should you pass out. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or have a heart condition. Find a quiet place and lie flat on your back with a pillow under the head. Relax the shoulders, chest, legs. Take 30 very deep, very fast breaths into the pit of the stomach and let it back out. If possible, breathe through the nose; if the nose feels obstructed, try pursed lips. The movement of each inhalation should look like a wave, filling up in the stomach and softly moving up through the lungs. Exhales follow the same movement, first emptying the stomach then the chest as air pours through the nose or pursed lips of the mouth. At the end of 30 breaths, exhale to the “natural conclusion,” leaving about a quarter of the air in the lungs. Hold that breath for as long as possible. Once you’ve reached your absolute breathhold limit, take one huge inhale and hold it another 15 seconds. Very gently, move that fresh breath around the chest and to the shoulders, then exhale and start the heavy breathing again. Repeat the entire pattern at least three times.

Yogic Breathing (Three-Part) A standard technique for any aspiring pranayama student. PHASE I Sit in a chair or cross-legged and upright on the floor and relax the shoulders. Place one hand over the navel and slowly breathe into the belly. You should feel the belly expand with each breath in, deflate with each breath out. Practice this a few times. Next, move the hand up a few inches so that it’s covering the bottom of the rib cage. Focus the breath into the location of the hand, expanding the ribs with each inhale, retracting them with each exhale. Practice this for about three to five breaths. Move the hand to just below the collarbone. Breathe deeply into this area and imagine the chest spreading out and withdrawing with each exhale. Do this for a few breaths. PHASE II Connect all these motions into one breath, inhaling into the stomach, lower rib cage, then chest. Exhale in the opposite direction, first emptying the chest, then the rib cage, then the stomach. Feel free to use a hand and feel each area as you breathe in and out of it. Continue this same sequence for about a dozen rounds.

Box Breathing Navy SEALs use this technique to stay calm and focused in tense situations. It’s simple. Inhale to a count of 4; hold 4; exhale 4; hold 4. Repeat. Longer exhalations will elicit a stronger parasympathetic response. A variation of Box Breathing to more deeply relax the body that’s especially effective before sleeping is as follows: Inhale to a count of 4; hold 4; exhale 6; hold 2. Repeat. Try at least six rounds, more if necessary.

Breathhold Walking Anders Olsson uses this technique to increase carbon dioxide and, thus, increase circulation in his body. It’s not much fun, but the benefits, Olsson told me, are many. Go to a grassy park, beach, or anywhere else where the ground is soft. Exhale all the breath, then walk slowly, counting each step. Once you feel a powerful sense of air hunger, stop counting and take a few very calm breaths through the nose while still walking. Breathe normally for at least a minute, then repeat the sequence.

4-7-8 Breathing This technique, made famous by Dr. Andrew Weil, places the body into a state of deep relaxation. I use it on long flights to help fall asleep. Take a breath in, then exhale through your mouth with a whoosh sound. Close the mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth, with a whoosh, to the count of eight. Repeat this cycle for at least four breaths. Weil offers a step-by-step instructional on YouTube, which has been viewed more than four million times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz4G31LGyog