Did you know in a day you take about 25k breaths? That would be over 1/2 billion breaths in a lifetime. Your first breath is what signifies the start of your life, the anxious wait to hear that first cry which simply is your first breath.
A few months back, a good friend of mine gifted me Breath by James Nestor. I had previously read it, but it just reminded me how good of a book it is, and truly how many people don’t actually breathe correctly. Breathing is one of those things we do unconsciously, just like digesting food, or our heart pumping blood around. So, how is it possible we’re doing it incorrectly, something does not sound right?
James Nestor went around the globe “interviewing” people and learning about how they breathe, this included world champions and athletes. He explores various breathing methods and other techniques which strengthen your airways and aid in better breathing. He also provides an appendix on how to practice and do those. Some examples are of the ones below:
Alternate nostril breathing
Breathing coordination
Resonant (coherent) breathing
Buteyko breathing
Tummo
Sudarshan Kriya
If you’ve ever been in hospital or even checked your apple watch metrics, one of them is your respiratory rate - meaning how many breaths you take per minute. The healthy range is from 12 to 18 breaths per minute. Any lower or higher could be indicative of stress / anxiety, asthma, heart, or lung problems.
However, James noticed another number that was very prominent and that was number 5. A symmetry was observed that the ideal number of breaths per minute was 5.5 breaths a minute, with an inhale taking 5.5 seconds and an exhale 5.5 seconds. This also turned out to be the pattern of the rosary! And turns out a lot of religious aspects found this 5.5 pattern, the prayer of Ave Maria, the practice of Hindus, Taoist, and Native American prayers too (see snippets below).
I truly recommend the book, it is so much more than a scientific book, but it also connects the mental and cultural aspect of things. Very easy to follow as well.
A big aspect of breathing is the direct link with your nervous system and hence stress. I’m sure we’ve all had this feeling of not being able to breathe before an important presentation or going on stage or awaiting for an email with results, our heart flutters and is racing and our breaths are short and shallow. However, have you noticed how during meditation, or even during Savasana in your yoga / pilates / barre session your heart rate just drops so much and so does your breathing rate. So evidently, as humans we’re able to survive on a much slower breathing rate and be much more relaxed at the same time.
Everything is directly connected, what I find helps me when I’m feeling a bit stressed and notice my breaths are becoming shallow is square breathing. It’s very simple, you take a breath in for 4 counts, then hold it for another 4, exhale for 4 and lastly pause for 4 before repeating. I find also tracing round an object that is somewhat square helps me get my thoughts clearer and calm me down. The diagram below shows the process, for those (like me) that like to visualise things :)
An extra tip is also breathing via your tummy rather than lungs. Let me explain… Since we’re born, as babies we would breathe through our noses and tummy, part of it is because our lungs are not as strong and developed but also because belly breathing is naturally relaxing. It could also be as when in utero, the baby would receive oxygen and its nutrients through the umbilical cord that has also something to do with the belly breathing.
This 2019 study by Bordoni explains all about the fascial breath, as our diaphragm muscle is actually fascia. The fascia is a sheet of connective tissue (mostly collagen) under the skin that attaches, stabilises, encloses, separates muscles and internal organs. Think of it like a protective sheet that supports and connects everything.
Outside of the breathing rate what is equally and probably even more important is whether you are a mouth or nose breather. You might be quite shocked by the harm done due to breathing through our mouth. It can quite literally alter your whole facial structure. The diagram below shows the differences of such breathers. Outside of the visual aspect, you don’t get as much oxygen or rest as a mouth breather. Have you ever noticed when you’re sick with the flu and you’re congested, and you sleep through the night forcefully breathing through your mouth? Personally, I feel so tired and unrested the next day. Mouth taping is becoming very popular, I did cover part of it in the nap / sleep article (read here). I would highly suggest trying it out, it is something easy to do and with minimal cost, and a huge upside for your health, both physical and mental.
When mouth breathing occurs in children, they tend to also have slower growth, facial and dental abnormalities. Their teeth are crooked, and they tend to have a smaller mouth (this is also partially due to the current state of food being very easily palatable, so humans lack jaw strength, but that’s a diff topic to discuss). Speaking of dental health, breathing through your mouth also alters the bacteria and health of your mouth, it can lead to gum disease and also tooth decay. Also, don’t forget that if you have an altered oral microbiome (the bacteria), your overall health is compromised as anything you consume goes through your mouth first.
But all that being said, it is possible to become a nose breather, and also control your breathing rate. It will take some time, no doubt, but it is reversible. Your facial structure and health can be improved! More good news, as we live in the digital age and there is an app for everything, there are also apps to help with breathing right!
I’ll leave you with a snippet of the 5.5 breathing, aka, resonant (coherent) breathing. And I invite you to notice your breathing pattern over the next days, how do you feel when you wake up based on how you were breathing during the night, what about when you exercise, how do you breathe? Do you frequently have short and shallow breaths?
On another note, I am happy to have launched 🌸 Meraki 🌸, feel free to subscribe there too, it is free! I will still be doing YMDS, but this will explore more of my creative side! :) 🤍
I hope you enjoyed, thank you for taking some time out of your day to read my posts! See you next week! :)
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Good stuff, and I love the practices! I am currently practicing getting back to the breath in ANY moment. No matter what I think or feel, the breath is my grounding place. A place I can always return to.
In my weekly 1-hour group meditation sessions, returning to the breath every time a thought or story comes up has helped me immensely to develop a deeper peace and connect to my being.
Wow! I had no idea about the 5.5 resonances. Fascinating! But how do you count a half second? 😅