Breathing: You’re doing it wrong.

Breathing is a vital function for our health and wellbeing. It is a task so innate that we give it no thought. However, over time it seems we have forgotten how to breathe correctly, or at least use our breath to its fullest potential.

We’re currently reading James Nestor’s book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, in which he unpacks how our breathing patterns went awry and to learn the science behind various breathing exercises. He elaborates on conventional knowledge and years of research to draw new, innovative conclusions about the healing power of breath. Nestor claims:

“Many modern maladies — asthma, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psoriasis and more — could either be reduced or reversed simply by changing the way we inhale and exhale.”

Previous research trends in that same direction. Patients with high blood pressure showed short-term decreases in blood pressure after slow-breathing exercises. A recent review found that slow breathing can help mitigate the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and can help folks struggling with insomnia. Another study showed that deep breathing can improve a patient’s ability to cope with pain, which may prove helpful in chronic pain conditions such as arthritis.

The health benefits attained with breath work for just a few minutes a day (and free of charge) is a no brainer; that’s the best kind of healthcare: simple, cheap, and anyone can do it anytime and anywhere, no excuses. We highly recommend checking out Nestor’s book for the full scoop and to gain insight on how to breathe properly.