Josh: Hey everyone, welcome back to the show! Today we're diving into something super fundamental, something we all do unconsciously: breathing. What if I told you that how you breathe could be affecting everything from your sleep to your stress levels, and even your lifespan? Drew: Wait, seriously? Breathing? You're saying the thing we do automatically, all day, every day, is something we could be doing “wrong”? I'm intrigued. Josh: Absolutely! James Nestor’s book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, really opened my eyes. It reveals how modern habits have messed up our natural breathing patterns, leading to all sorts of health issues we didn't even realize were connected. And the best part? He also gives us practical ways to fix it. Drew: Ah, so this is one of those "hidden in plain sight" kind of things, right? Like when you finally realize the box you've been struggling with has a secret latch. Josh: Precisely! And in this episode, we’re breaking it down into three parts. First, we'll explore the science – how different breathing patterns impact your body in ways you probably never imagined. Then, we’ll delve into the history – uncovering ancient wisdom from around the world that views breath as more than just air; as life’s very energy. And finally, we’ll get into the techniques – simple, actionable ways to breathe smarter for better health, focus, and even sleep. Drew: Alright, you've piqued my interest. I have my questions – and maybe a little skepticism – but let's see if this deep dive into breathing can change my perspective on something so basic. Just don’t expect me to start chanting, okay?

Josh: Okay, let's dive into the science and physiology of breathing. Understanding the 'why' behind proper breathing is key. It really helps to understand how our body handles oxygen and carbon dioxide, and why nasal breathing is so much more efficient than mouth breathing. Drew: Alright, lay it on me. Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out—what's so complicated about that? Josh: Well, there's more to it than just exchanging gases! First, nasal breathing versus mouth breathing. When you breathe through your nose, the air gets filtered, humidified, and warmed before it reaches your lungs. Plus, there is this amazing molecule called nitric oxide that gets produced in the nasal passages. Drew: My nose is a high-tech air purifier with a chemistry bonus? So what does nitric oxide do? Josh: Exactly! Nitric oxide is a vasodilator; it relaxes and expands your blood vessels, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery. And here's the kicker: nasal breathing increases oxygen uptake by nearly 20% compared to mouth breathing. That extra boost can make a real difference in how your body performs and recovers. Drew: Okay, nasal breathing gives me an oxygen upgrade. So why is mouth breathing so bad? It feels natural sometimes, especially when I'm winded. Josh: There's a significant downside. Mouth breathing skips the filtration and nitric oxide. Worse, it's often linked to hyperventilating – breathing too fast or deeply– which throws off your body's balance by flushing out too much carbon dioxide. Most people think CO2 is waste, but it's crucial for releasing oxygen from hemoglobin and delivering it to your cells. That’s the Bohr effect. Drew: Wait, we need carbon dioxide for oxygen to work properly? Every sci-fi movie has let me down. Josh: It's a surprising twist! You don't want to purge all your CO2. When you lose too much, your blood clings to the oxygen instead of releasing it where it's needed. That's why mouth breathing – especially hyperventilation – can drain your energy, increase stress, and even make you anxious. Drew: So mouth breathing isn't just inefficient, it's actively sabotaging me! Has this been tested, or is it just a theory? Josh: Oh, there's a lot of evidence. In one experiment from Nestor’s book, participants breathed exclusively through their mouths for a short time. The results were shocking – elevated heart rates, lower heart rate variability, poorer sleep, and even cognitive decline. They felt foggy, irritable, and generally worse. That short burst of mouth breathing alone caused profound effects. Drew: Wow, that's intense. I can believe bad sleep and irritability, but measurable changes – heart rate, cognitive function, body temperature? All from ditching nasal breathing for a bit? Josh: Staggering, isn't it? Long-term mouth breathing has even been linked to major health issues like sleep apnea, cardiovascular problems, and chronic stress. And many of us do it without realizing the impact. Drew: So, nasal breathing is the hero, right? What's so special about it besides filtering and nitric oxide production? Josh: For starters, it helps engage your diaphragm, which encourages deep, steady breaths. That naturally calms your autonomic nervous system, balancing "fight or flight" with "rest and digest," helping you feel relaxed while improving focus and emotional stability. Drew: Okay, so nasal breathing is like calming my stress response. Sounds like the mind trick you get from yoga or meditation. Has science proven this beyond anecdotes? Josh: Absolutely. Studies show that when people adopt nasal breathing, they report deeper sleep, sharper mental clarity, and better emotional control. There's even a protective aspect; your nose filters pollutants, allergens, and microbes before they reach your lungs. And it reduces respiratory issues like sinusitis, it’s an evolutionary win. Drew: So it's not just about oxygen; nasal breathing is like having better HVAC for your body. Cleaner air, better moisture—it's like living in a house with a top-notch air filter. Let’s talk about endurance and performance. How does nasal breathing help with physical activity? Josh: Great question! During exercise, tolerating higher carbon dioxide levels trains your body to use oxygen more efficiently. Hyperventilating wastes energy and makes you burn out faster. Nasal breathers – athletes like Olympic swimmers or MMA fighters like Conor McGregor – practice techniques to maximize their oxygen-carbon dioxide balance. They’re improving endurance while keeping their bodies calm under pressure. Drew: So the more I train my CO2 tolerance, the more I get out of every breath? It's like figuring out my smartphone had a battery-saver mode and I never used it. Josh: That’s a perfect comparison! And it connects to the Buteyko method, which trains people to breathe more slowly and shallowly – mainly through the nose. It's been used to help treat asthma and anxiety, and it shows how small, intentional changes to your breathing patterns can make a big difference. Drew: Okay, you've sold me on the science. Breathing may be automatic, but optimizing it could unlock a whole new level of living.

Josh: So, understanding the science of breathing, right? It really sets the stage for exploring how different cultures viewed it throughout history. And “that's” where things get super interesting. Ancient civilizations, they weren't just clued into the importance of breath; they actually wove it into everything—their spirituality, their medicine, even their philosophy. It was more than just staying alive, it was a path to actually thriving. Drew: Wait, are you saying ancient societies knew, like, mastering your breath could make you healthier, more focused, maybe even enlightened? And here I am just trying not to black out in yoga class. Josh: Exactly! Take “prana”, for example, from ancient Indian traditions. "Prana" basically means "life force," so breathing wasn't just a physical thing, it was how you harnessed that vital energy. Practices like pranayama, which is all about controlling your breath in specific ways, they started developing over 5,000 years ago, way back during the Indus-Sarasvati civilization. Drew: Seriously? 5,000 years ago? That's, like, before the pyramids! What were they even doing with their breath back then? Josh: Well, archaeological finds suggest they were already getting into early forms of pranayama. Think of those meditative poses you see in old carvings, those were paired with specific breathing exercises. And about the time the Vedas and Upanishads were written, people had already written down methods, like alternate nostril breathing—Nadi Shodhana it’s called. It was thought to balance your mental energy and purify your body. Drew: Okay, hold on, alternate nostril breathing? That sounds incredibly complicated. How does that even work? Josh: It's easier than you think. You just use your fingers to close off one nostril while you breathe in and out of the other. The idea is it balances the two halves of your brain while calming your nervous system. Some modern studies show it can reduce stress and improve your heart health. Drew: So these ancient yogis were basically hacking their own brains thousands of years ago. And, you know, without Fitbits or anything. Wow. Josh: Totally! And then you jump over to Tibet, and you've got Tummo breathing, another cool practice. This one is about deep, rhythmic breaths mixed with visualization. Monks used it to create their own internal heat and, you know, survive in ridiculously cold temperatures. Drew: Right, I've heard about this! Monks meditating in icy caves, staying warm while the rest of us would be frozen solid. How is that even possible? Josh: It's amazing. Tummo triggers your sympathetic nervous system – similar to a "fight or flight" response but in a controlled way. This ramps up your metabolism, which generates heat. It also sharpens your focus because of the release of neurotransmitters. And we've seen their body temperatures rise during these sessions with, you know, modern tools like thermal imaging. Drew: So, they're basically using their breath to control their internal thermostat? Tell you what, I'd love to have that skill the next time the office AC is blasting. Josh: Exactly! It really proves how deeply our breath can affect our bodies. You can see it in Chinese traditions like qigong too, where breathing was, you know, key to cultivating life energy – “chi”. So, these ancient cultures, they all saw controlling breath as both a health practice and a spiritual one. Drew: Okay, I'm following the pattern here. Breath isn't just air; it's energy, balance, maybe even the key to survival. So how did we go from that ancient wisdom to, well, the way we breathe now? What happened? Josh: Well for some people, diet happened. About 10,000 years ago, when we started farming, our diets went through a huge shift. Early humans ate tough, fibrous foods. So all of that chewing actually helped shape their jaws and airways. But once we started farming grains and eating softer foods, our jaw structures sort of…started shrinking over generations. Drew: So you're saying we traded tough carrots for, like, bread, and our bodies just gave up on big airways? Josh: Basically, yes. Anthropologists have looked at skeletons from before and after farming, and the difference is obvious. Hunter-gatherers had broad jaws, straight teeth, and plenty of space for their airways. Agricultural societies? They show crowded teeth and narrower airways. And that, of course, has a direct impact on how well we breathe. Drew: Wow, that's crazy. I always thought braces were just because my parents gave me bad dental genes. But it turns out we can blame farming? Josh: Exactly! And things really took off during the Industrial Revolution when processed foods like white bread and sugar made our diets even softer. Our jaws weren’t being pushed enough during critical growth periods, leading to crowding, misaligned teeth, and shrinking airways. Drew: Which probably explains why so many of us breathe through our mouths. I guess if your airway is smaller, you're more likely to breathe through your mouth just to get enough air? Josh: Absolutely. Think of the Stanford mouth-breathing experiment from Nestor's book. Participants who were forced to mouth-breathe went downhill fast. Their heart rates soared, their thinking became foggy, and their sleep was disrupted. It really showed how structural changes and bad breathing habits reinforce each other, creating a perfect storm. The dysfunction is mind blowing! Drew: So we've been digging ourselves deeper into this evolutionary hole, one soft food at a time. But the question is, can we actually fix any of this? Or are we just stuck with bad jaws and worse breathing forever? Josh: And “that” is why it's so important to reconnect with ancient practices like pranayama and Tummo, or explore modern options like myofunctional therapy. These all help promote nasal breathing, you know, which can offset some of the structural and functional disadvantages we've inherited. Drew: So, ancient wisdom becomes modern therapy. It's a perfect circle. And maybe if ancient cultures saw breath as a way to connect your health and your spirit, we've been overlooking its power all along.

Josh: Now that we’ve covered the science and history of breathing, let's dive into the practical side—where theory meets real-world application. We’re talking about techniques that transform everything we know about breathing, from its impact on our bodies to its ancient roots, into tools for improving our health, well-being, and even our athletic performance. Drew: Okay, finally—a how-to guide! Something actionable I can actually try. I'm ready for this, but I'm imagining it's more than just slowing your breath or sitting cross-legged and chanting "om", right? What kind of techniques are we talking about here? Josh: Exactly. And what's fascinating is how versatile these techniques are. They're really tailored to different needs, whether it's calming your mind or boosting endurance. Let's start with Alternate Nostril Breathing, or Nadi Shodhana. It's one of the simplest, yet most profound, practices we've borrowed from the yoga tradition. Drew: Alternate nostrils? That sounds, uh, a little strange. Is this one of those things where you need, like, three hands or a ton of practice? Josh: Not at all. It's actually quite intuitive. You simply use your thumb and ring finger to gently block one nostril at a time as you breathe in and out. So, for example, you'd inhale deeply through the left nostril while blocking the right, then switch and exhale out of the right nostril while closing the left. The effect is really balancing—it synchronizes the two hemispheres of your brain and helps to soothe your nervous system. Drew: Okay, I'll admit that sounds more coordinated than complicated. But does this really work? I mean, symmetry is cool in graphic design, but is it actually doing anything for my body or brain? Josh: Absolutely. Studies show that Nadi Shodhana can lower your heart rate and cortisol levels, which helps in managing stress. One participant even described using it during a hectic workday and feeling their mind go from total chaos to calm in just minutes. It’s like rebooting your internal system when it's completely overwhelmed. Drew: So it’s almost like pressing a reset button on your stress response simply by, you know, toggling between your nostrils. Alright, I'll give it a shot the next time I'm on deadline. What else you got? Josh: Another incredible technique is the Buteyko Breathing Method, which was developed specifically to improve respiratory health. It's particularly useful for people with conditions like asthma. And the key here is retraining yourself to breathe less, not more. Drew: Wait—less? Are you telling me the cure for struggling to breathe is… to stop trying so hard? Josh: Precisely. Most people who struggle with asthma, or even general stress, tend to overbreathe, expelling too much carbon dioxide. This throws off the Bohr effect—that's the process that allows oxygen to transfer effectively from your blood to your tissues. With Buteyko, you focus on slow, shallow breaths through the nose, gently building up your tolerance to higher carbon dioxide levels. And this, in turn, optimizes oxygen delivery in the body. Drew: So you're not just calming your breath; you're literally teaching your body to use oxygen better by holding on to more CO2? That’s like retraining your engine to run smoother on less gas. Has anyone actually had success with this thing? Josh: Tons of people. One of the most notable cases that Nestor mentions is a middle-aged asthma patient who saw significant improvements after just a few weeks of daily Buteyko exercises. They cut down their use of inhalers and reported fewer asthma attacks simply by adopting this breathing style. Drew: That’s impressive—and honestly, kind of counterintuitive. It sounds backward at first, but the science checks out. Carbon dioxide has always been framed as the villain, and now here we are realizing it's the unsung hero of oxygen absorption. Josh: It's amazing how much potential there is in simply changing how we breathe. For something more intense, there's Tummo breathing—a Tibetan practice designed to generate literal internal heat. It's a mix of forceful inhalations, breath holds, and mental visualizations of fire within the body. Drew: Ah, the "inner fire" method. And here I thought the best I could do in freezing weather was to layer up. You mentioned these monks surviving winter in thin robes—how does this, uh, physiological magic trick work? Josh: Well, the combination of deep, intentional breaths and focus stimulates your sympathetic nervous system, which in turn elevates your metabolism and boosts heat production. Studies have actually monitored monks in controlled conditions, and their body temperatures really do rise significantly during Tummo breathing sessions. It's sort of like hacking your body's heating system. Drew: So they’re essentially cranking up the thermostat from the inside. Honestly, I could use this technique in mid-January—but I imagine there are mental benefits too? Josh: Absolutely. Practitioners also report feeling calmer and more focused under stress. It’s really no surprise that modern versions of Tummo are being used by high-stress professionals and athletes to stay grounded during pressure-filled situations. Drew: Speaking of heightened states, what’s this Holotropic Breathwork I’ve heard about? I keep seeing it pop up as this intense, yet healing experience—and a little trippy, to be honest. Josh: That’s exactly what it is. Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Stanislav Grof, involves rapid, rhythmic breathing combined with music to induce an altered state of consciousness. It’s often used in therapeutic settings to help people process deeply buried emotions or unresolved trauma. Drew: So it's like hitting a mental reset button, but with a soundtrack? Josh: Yes, and the results definitely can be profound. Take the example of a man struggling with grief after losing his father. In one session, during the peak of the breathing cycle, waves of emotion overcame him—he cried, he relived memories, and eventually found a sense of closure. It's intense but deeply cathartic. Drew: Wow, that sounds like emotional heavy lifting. But I can see the value—it's like clearing out the mental clutter you've been sweeping under the rug. Not exactly a nightly ritual, though. Josh: Definitely not—it’s guided and really needs professional oversight because of how intense it can be. But for those stuck with emotional barriers, it can be a game-changer. Now, switching gears to something more action-focused, let’s talk about hypoventilation for athletes. This involves deliberate breath-holding during exercise to train the body for better endurance. Drew: Ah, Emil Zátopek’s trick, right? The guy who won triple Olympic gold with breathing drills straight out of an action movie. What’s the theory behind this? Josh: Zátopek’s training forced his body to adapt to low oxygen conditions, much like high-altitude training. This then triggers your body to improve oxygen transport efficiency, increase red blood cell production, and delay fatigue. Today, athletes across disciplines, from running to swimming, are incorporating hypoventilation drills to boost their performance. Drew: So it's like building stamina by starving your muscles of air, making every molecule count. That's intense but effective. It seems like every technique you've mentioned explores a different dimension of breath—calming, healing, energizing, enduring. Josh: That’s what’s so amazing about conscious breathing techniques. They align your body’s natural processes with active intention, transforming the mundane act of breathing into a tool for physical vitality, emotional resilience, and even mental clarity.

Josh: So, to bring everything full circle, we've really explored the amazing potential that's packed into something as fundamental as breathing. From scientific studies highlighting how nasal breathing optimizes oxygen absorption and regulates stress, to time-tested practices, such as pranayama, Tummo, and alternate nostril breathing, it's pretty evident that how we breathe seriously impacts pretty much every facet of our health and overall well-being. Drew: Right, and if that wasn't enough to make you rethink your entire existence, we also touched on how modern issues—like, you know, slouching and mouth breathing—can actually be linked to the evolution of our jaws and changes in our diets. But thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom. The upside is that with practical tools, such as the Buteyko method, hypoventilation for athletes, and, of course, the wisdom of ancient traditions, we're not doomed to be bad breathers forever. Josh: Precisely! Breathing isn't just about the simple exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide; it presents a pathway that could lead to improved health, enhanced concentration, and even emotional recovery. So, here's a little challenge for everyone listening: just take a moment today to become aware of your breath. Try taking a breath in through your nose, followed by a slow exhale, and just observe how you feel. Drew: Yeah, and hey, throw in that alternate nostril breathing thing we talked about. I’m still a little fuzzy on the details. But seriously, it might be time to start optimizing our breathing patterns, rather than just overdoing it. Josh: Totally. You know, your breath is with you constantly—so why not try to harness that and turn it into your secret weapon?