Focus on the four foundational pillars of functional breathing: nose breathing, slow breathing, light breathing, and diaphragmatic breathing, as these are key to overall well-being.
Take a normal nasal inhale, normal nasal exhale, pinch your nose, and time how long until the first definite desire to breathe; aim for a minimum of 25 seconds to indicate efficient breathing and better exercise tolerance.
To decongest a stuffy nose (if healthy and not pregnant), take a normal nasal inhale/exhale, pinch your nose, and gently nod your head while holding your breath until strong air hunger; release, calm breathing, and repeat six times.
Practice a breathing cadence of inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 6 counts, aiming for six breaths per minute, to influence the autonomic nervous system, increase heart rate variability, and enhance resilience.
Breathe through your nose, lightly and slowly, to actively target the diaphragm, promote slower breathing, and shift away from a fight-or-flight response, leading to better health and calmness.
When stressed, consciously do the opposite of typical stress breathing: achieve regular, slower, diaphragmatic breathing, always in and out through the nose, to negate the effects of stress.
Ensure your tongue rests in the roof of your mouth, especially during sleep, to help maintain an open airway and prevent it from falling back into the throat, improving sleep and reducing snoring.
Consider using mouth tape nightly to ensure consistent nasal breathing during sleep, which can become a beneficial ritual for improved concentration, calmness, and overall sleep quality.
Begin practicing nasal breathing at any age, as it is never too late to experience significant life improvements in sleep, anxiety, and asthma control, regardless of past habits.
Regularly observe your breathing and mental state, paying attention to habits like mouth breathing or fast upper chest breathing, and initiate changes when issues are noticed, as awareness is key to improvement.
Before a high-stakes event, first slow down your breathing to quiet the mind, then perform five strong breath holds (exhale holds) to increase blood flow to the brain, open airways, and achieve a state of focused preparedness.
If you struggle with meditation, try exhale breath holds to instantly shift your focus from your thoughts to your body, as the sensation of air hunger naturally induces a state of mindfulness.
If prone to panic disorder, address your breathing patterns by gradually introducing small, controlled breath holds to increase carbon dioxide in the blood, deconditioning the body’s alarm response to suffocation.
Practice slow breathing (e.g., six breaths per minute) to stimulate and increase the sensitivity of baroreceptors, improving the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure and enhance overall resilience.
Practice exhale breath holds (normal inhale, normal exhale, then hold) to increase carbon dioxide and slightly drop blood oxygen, which is thought to increase muscle buffering capacity and delay lactic acid and fatigue during physical activity.
During physical exercise, allow your nasal breathing capacity to set your pace, prioritizing efficiency and avoiding overtraining, even if it means going slower initially, as this leads to better economics and less trauma.
During activities like walking, consciously take fewer, fuller breaths rather than fast, shallow ones to improve breathing efficiency by minimizing wasted air in dead space and preventing breathlessness.
Practice slow, deep, diaphragmatic breathing (lower two ribs moving outwards on inhale, inwards on exhale) to increase blood oxygen saturation, as demonstrated in patients with chronic heart failure.
Absolutely avoid breath holding underwater or hyperventilating before swimming, as it can lead to dangerous underwater blackout without warning due to depleted carbon dioxide levels.
If you wake up with a dry mouth, recognize that you are not getting deep, refreshing sleep, and investigate your breathing patterns, as this is a key indicator of poor sleep quality.
Finish dinner two to three hours before sleep and avoid snacking afterwards, as this may make it easier to keep your mouth closed at night and improve breathing by reducing diaphragmatic impairment.
Be aware that excess weight on the belly can impair diaphragmatic movement, reducing lung volume and affecting upper airway maintenance during sleep.
Sleep with a window open or ensure adequate fresh air in your room, as the quality of air you breathe is vitally important for overall health and breathing.
If a child is tongue-tied, address it to ensure proper breastfeeding, which is crucial for the manipulation of facial muscles and healthy craniofacial growth.
Avoid prolonged use of bottles and soft, mulched foods for babies, as lack of effort during feeding can negatively impact the development of the face and jaws.
Explore functional orthodontics to ensure forward growth of the jaws and adequate room for the tongue, which is crucial for overall facial development and not just straight teeth.
If your child snores or mouth breathes, use gentle breath-hold exercises to open their nose and consistently encourage nasal breathing during daily activities like watching TV or walking.
For children who mouth breathe, encourage them to wear mouth tape across their lips for about half an hour during wakeful activities to help their brain associate the nose with breathing and change the habit.
If a child undergoes orthodontics, ensure they also learn to breathe through their nose, as nasal breathing is paramount for long-term success and preventing teeth from shifting back.
Do not follow the common advice to ’take a deep breath’ when stressed, as it often leads to inefficient, fast, shallow, mouth breathing that does not promote calm and is based on nothing.
During gentle practices like yoga, avoid intentionally breathing hard; instead, focus on light, subtle breathing, as excessive breathing is inefficient and unnatural.
Understand that changing breathing habits requires consistent practice for 60 to 70 days to establish new neural connections and make nasal breathing involuntary through neuroplasticity.
To gain an edge in performance and resilience, integrate breath-holding exercises into your daily routine, exploring this often untapped hacking way to improve.
Be aware that childhood mouth breathing can negatively impact facial development, lead to conditions like asthma, stuffy nose, and sleep problems later in life, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
Actively learn how to stop thinking and bring solitude to the mind, creating gaps between thoughts to gain choice and awareness over your mental state.