First things first, the info in this paper is based on two books: Breathe by James Nestor and Conscious Breathing by Anders Olsson. It is not a copy, but is a personal rendition of the knowledge I derived from them. I highly, highly recommend both of these books.
Breathing Basics – Nose Breathing
One of the core habits to follow is nose breathing. This is the easiest to remember and the least strenuous. Breathing through the nose ensures the sinuses function as intended and the air we breathe is – well – the best.
Much like a radiator and an air filter ensure the air getting to a car’s engine is clean and at the appropriate temperature, our nose and sinuses perform similar duty for our body. Features of our nose and sinuses that do this are cilia, mucus, and sinus structure. Cilia are extremely small hairlike projections that catch bits of dust, dirt, and bacteria from the air passing through the nose. Mucus is a well-known, sticky, wet substance. It helps catch and bind harmful dirt, smoke, bacteria, and dust. Sinus structure breaks down the direct flow of air into the lungs. It exposes it to vascular heated internal cavity space. Like geothermal heat, the nasal and sinus cavities are heated by blood vessels beneath the internal lining of the cavity. This heats the space in the cavity and contributes to the warming, or even cooling (100-degree Fahrenheit outdoor temps), of air passing into the lungs. Each of these amazing body features, all wrapped up in our nose and sinuses, relies on nose breathing. Breathing through the mouth and throat does expose the air to some internal cavity space and mucus. However, mouth breathing doesn’t engage cilia and reduces mucus and internal cavity exposure. Simply put, nasal breathing directly leads to us having safer, healthier, air in our lungs.
Breathing for Anxiety/Fear
Anxiety has become a monstrous word today. The religious past would’ve referred to anxiety as fear, and I’m sure there are many clinicians who would disagree with me using the words fear and anxiety synonymously. However, severe fear and severe anxiety are definitely synonymous. I personally prefer the word fear on the grounds that fear implies the person experiencing it can control the mental experience. Anxiety on the other hand reads like a disorder, with a locus of control mostly caused by external, uncontrollable factors. This is a linguistics and a diagnosis debate though, and unrelated to breathing. Whether one chooses to experience fear or anxiety, breathing is a way for someone to, at least partially, control the negative experience of fear. Breathing is not a perfect solution, especially in the face of legitimate causes of fear. Yet, it can help.
The primary tricks I use to counteract fear are slowing the pace of my breathing down and full exhales. Although, these are healthy breathing practices even without the experience of fear. The pace most beneficial to me has been a 5 sec inhale followed by a 6 sec exhale. The original model taught in Breathe is 5.5 sec in 5.5 sec out. I made a slight modification because air seems to enter my lungs faster than it leaves. For pediatrics, I found 4 sec in and 4 sec out works well too. In any case, the 5.5 sec method in Breathe is a good timing benchmark to stay close to. A tip for practicing full exhales, is continuously counting until the numbers are barely audible and bereft of air.
Fun Little Nose-Breathing Exercise: Mouth Taping
If you want the benefits of nose breathing 24/7, then mouth taping is for you my friend. It’s simply taking a small strip of medical cloth tape and taping the mouth closed while asleep. A little strip right anchored on my upper lip and positioned in the center of my mouth is what I go for. No need for a hermetic seal either. It should just be there to prevent the mouth gaping open. A half centimeter gap is no stress. All the benefits of nose breathing 24/7. It’s magic. Plus, someone at the gym told me once that Lebron James tapes his mouth shut at night. I’m not saying this hearsay is true, but…
In Conclusion
I know nothing. I’m only jesting. I know some things of course. I use this dramatic turn of phrase to emphasize that I am still yet a novice in the world of breathing wisdom. I’m writing here for a friend that told me they didn’t know anything about the field. I only know some things, and one day, it might turn out that those some things are wrong. So, take this piece of writing as it is: a recommendation for some activities that have changed my life for the better. I hope you try them out for like a month and see how it goes for you.
Marcus King 