How to Breathe Correctly for Optimal Health, Mood, Learning & Performance
Listen or watch on your favorite platforms
In this episode, I explain the biology of breathing (respiration), how it delivers oxygen and carbon dioxide to the cells and tissues of the body and how is best to breathe—nose versus mouth, fast versus slow, deliberately versus reflexively, etc., depending on your health and performance needs. I discuss the positive benefits of breathing properly for mood, to reduce psychological and physiological stress, to halt sleep apnea, and improve facial aesthetics and immune system function. I also compare what is known about the effects and effectiveness of different breathing techniques, including physiological sighs, box breathing and cyclic hyperventilation, “Wim Hof Method,” Prānāyāma yogic breathing and more. I also describe how to breath to optimize learning, memory and reaction time and I explain breathing at high altitudes, why “overbreathing” is bad, and how to breathe specifically to relieve cramps and hiccups. Breathwork practices are zero-cost and require minimal time yet provide a unique and powerful avenue to improve overall quality of life that is grounded in clear physiology. Anyone interesting in improving their mental and physical health or performance in any endeavor ought to benefit from the information and tools in this episode.
Articles
- Concentration of carbon dioxide, interstitial pH and synaptic transmission in hippocampal formation of the rat (Journal of Physiology)
- Effects of voluntary hyperventilation on cortical sensory responses Electroencephalographic and magnetoencephalographic studies (Experimental Brain Research)
- Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal (Cell Reports Medicine)
- Breathing Rhythm and Pattern and Their Influence on Emotion (Annual Review of Neuroscience)
- Nasal Respiration Entrains Human Limbic Oscillations and Modulates Cognitive Function (Journal of Neuroscience)
- Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials (Scientific Reports)
Books
Join 500,000+ subscribers to get regular emails on neuroscience, health, and science-related tools from Dr. Andrew Huberman.
You'll also get Andrew's exclusive Daily Blueprint. In it, Andrew shares his daily routine. He also shares practical tools and protocols that you can use to stay productive and maximize your health.
By submitting your email to subscribe, you agree to Scicomm Media's Privacy Policy
