Quotations by James Nestor

Contrary to what most of us might think, no amount of snoring is normal, and no amount of sleep apnea comes without risks of serious health effects. Mouthbreathing is both a cause and a contributor to snoring and sleep apnea. [2020] - James Nestor

There are dozens of alternative nostril breathing techniques. I've started with the most basic. It involves placing an index finger over the left nostril and then inhaling and exhaling only through the right. I did this two dozen times after each meal, to heat up my body and aid my digestion. Before meals, and any other time I wanted to relax, I'd witch sides, repeating the same exercise with my left nostril open. To gain focus and balance the body and mind, I followed a technique called surya bheda pranayama, which involves taking one breath into the right nostril, then exhaling through the left for several sounds. [2020] - James Nestor

How to apply mouth tape, or "sleep type" as it's also called, is a matter of personal preference. Eventually I realized that all I or anyone really needed was a postage-stamp-sized piece of tape at the center of the lips--a Charlie Chaplin mustache moved down an inch. After much trial and error, I settle on 3M Nexcare Durapore "durable cloth" tape, an all-purpose surgical tape with a gentle adhesive. It was comfortable, had no chemical scent, and didn't leave residue. [2020] - James Nestor

The greatest indicator of life span isn't genetics, diet, or the amount of daily exercise, as many have suspected. It is lung capacity. Our ability to breathe full breaths is liberally a measure of living capacity. Any regular practice that stretches the lungs and keeps them flexible can retain or increase lung capacity. Moderate exercise like walking or cycling has been shown to boost lung size by up to 15%. [2020] - James Nestor

The most efficient breathing rhythm occurs when both the length of respirations and total breaths per minute are locked in to a spooky symmetry: 5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out almost exactly to 5.5 breaths a minute. The optimum amount of air we should take in at rest per minute is 5.5 liters. You can practice this perfect breathing for a few minutes, or a few hours. There is no such thing as having too much peak efficiency in your body. [2020] - James Nestor

Slower, longer exhales mean higher carbon dioxide levels. With that bonus carbon dioxide, we gain a higher aerobic endurance. This measurement of highest oxygen consumption, called V̇O₂ max, is the best gauge of cardiorespiratory fitness. Training the body to breathe less actually increases V̇O₂ max, which can not only boost athletic stamina but also help us live longer and healthier lives. [2020] - James Nestor

The first step to improving airway obstruction involves maintaining correct "oral posture". It means holding the lips together, teeth lightly touching, with your tongue on the roof of the mouth. Hold the head up perpendicular to the body and don't kink the neck. When sitting or standing, the spine should form a J-shape--perfectly straight until it reaches the small of the back, where it naturally curves outward. While maintaining this posture, we should always breath slowly through the nose into the abdomen. [2020] - James Nestor

Up to 80% of office workers suffer from something called continuous partial attention. We'll scan our email, write something down, check Twitter, and do it all over again, never really focusing on any specific task. In this state of perpetual distraction, breathing becomes shallow and erratic. Sometimes we won't breathe at all for a half minute or longer. [2020] - James Nestor

Panic, like asthma, is usually preceded by an increase in breathing volume and rate and a decrease in carbon dioxide. To stop the attack before it strikes, breath slower and less, increasing carbon dioxide. This simple and free technique reverses dizziness, shortness of breath, and feeling of suffocation. It can effectively cure a panic attack before the attack comes on. 'Take a deep breath' is not a helpful instruction. Hold your breath is much better.  [2020] - James Nestor

Sudarshan Kriya was developed in the 1980s by a man named Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and is now practiced by tens of millions of people around the world through The Art of Living Foundation. It does much of what Tummo does because both were designed from the same ancient practices. The central method, called Purifying Breath, requires more than 40 minutes of intensive breathing, from huffing and at a rate of more than 100 breaths pre minute, to several minutes of slow breathing, and then hardly breathing at all. Rinse and Repeat. The key to Sudarshan Kriya, Tummo, or any other breathing practice rooted in ancient yoga is to learn to be patient, maintain flexibility, and slowly absorb what breathing has to offer. [2020] - James Nestor

A variation of Box Breathing to more deeply relax the body that's especially effective before sleeping is as follows: Inhale to a count of 4; hold 4; exhale 6; hold 2. Repeat. Try at least six rounds, more if necessary. [2020] - James Nestor

The 4-7-8 Breathing, made famous by Dr. Andrew Weil, places the body into a state of deep relaxation. I use it on long flights to help fall asleep. 1) Take a breath in, then exhale through your mouth with a whoosh sound. 2) Close the mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. 3) Hold for a count of seven. 4) Exhale completely through your mouth, with a whoosh, to the count of eight. 5) Repeat the cycle for at least four breaths. Weil offers a step-by-step instructional on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRPh_GaiL8s. [2020] - James Nestor

Any gum chewing can strength the jaw and stimulate stem cell growth, but harder textured varieties offer a more vigorous workout. Falim, a Turkish brand, is as tough as shoe leather and each piece lasts for about an hour. I've found the Sugarless Mint to be the most palatable. Mastic gum, which comes from the resin of the evergreen shrub Pistacia lentiscus, has been cultivated in the Greek islands for thousands of years. Several brands are available through online retailers. The stuff can taste nasty but offers a rigorous jaw workout. [2020] - James Nestor