Key insights from
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
By James Nestor
Audio available
11 minute read
Published May 26, 2020
What you'll learn
Individuals take an average of 25,000 breaths a day, yet 90 percent of the population breathes improperly. Breathing impacts all parts of the body, and failing to practice it efficiently not only exacerbates but creates numerous chronic illnesses, including asthma, anxiety, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. Though it seems as simple as inhaling and exhaling, the act of breathing is an overlooked artform that can do much more than just sustain life. Journalist James Nestor explores various unexpected paths in search of the science and the everyday experience behind the life-altering power of a single breath.
Key insights
- • What you'll learn
- 1 Breathing problems did not always exist—rather they were created by gradual changes in facial bone structure.
- 2 Mouth breathing wreaks havoc on your health and should be avoided.
- 3 Nasal breathing is the healthiest way to breathe, due in part to nasal cycles.
- 4 Slow and sparse exhalations expand lung capacity and enable better breathing.
- 5 Going beyond simple breathing can tap into extra benefits, but sometimes the methods are frightening.
- 6 The perfect breath is 5.5 seconds of inhalation, followed by 5.5 seconds of exhalation, but even that can’t cure everything.
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