In 'Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,' James Nestor delves into the history and science of breathing, revealing how modern humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly. The book takes readers on a global journey to ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, and other unusual locations to uncover the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo. Nestor collaborates with pulmonary experts to test long-held beliefs about breathing and presents evidence that slight adjustments in breathing can significantly improve athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, and alleviate various health issues such as snoring, asthma, and autoimmune diseases.
Patrick McKeown's "The Breathing Cure" is considered a definitive guide to Buteyko breathing methods, offering a comprehensive approach to respiratory health and well-being. The book details the science behind inefficient breathing and its impact on various health conditions. McKeown provides step-by-step instructions and practical exercises to help readers retrain their breathing patterns and improve their carbon dioxide tolerance. The book emphasizes the importance of nasal breathing and controlled breathing rates for optimal health. It's a valuable resource for individuals seeking to address respiratory issues and improve their overall health through conscious breathing techniques.
In "You Can Sleep Well," Dr. Chris Winter provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and improving sleep quality. The book explores various factors that contribute to sleep problems, including sleep disorders, lifestyle choices, and underlying medical conditions. Dr. Winter offers practical strategies and evidence-based solutions to help readers achieve better sleep, focusing on creating a conducive sleep environment, improving sleep hygiene, and addressing specific sleep disorders. The book emphasizes the importance of sleep for overall health and well-being, providing readers with the tools and knowledge to prioritize and improve their sleep. It's a valuable resource for individuals struggling with sleep issues and seeking a path to better rest and rejuvenation.
In this book, Patrick McKeown introduces the Oxygen Advantage, a revolutionary approach to breathing that can significantly improve health and fitness. The book explains the fundamental relationship between oxygen and the body and provides techniques such as the Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT) to determine and improve oxygen efficiency. McKeown's methods include light breathing exercises and simulating high-altitude training, techniques used by elite athletes and military personnel to enhance endurance, weight loss, and cardiovascular health. The book addresses chronic overbreathing, a common but often overlooked issue that contributes to various health disorders, including anxiety, asthma, insomnia, and heart problems. By following McKeown's program, readers can achieve better sleep, increased energy, improved concentration, reduced breathlessness during exercise, and enhanced overall well-being.
In this episode of the Stamina Lab podcast, founder Glen Lubbert speaks with JJ Ruescas, a human optimization strategist, which includes being an expert breathwork coach. Glen has attended many of his live breathwork sessions in Austin, TX and they are a transformative reset from the stress and emotional buildup that cumulatively drags us down in all parts of our life. He often walks away from these sessions with a level of feeling alive that he can't believe comes from just breathing for 90 minutes. Even though you breathe every day, you probably don't know how to breathe optimally for different phases of your day. How do you breathe to prepare for a big presentation? To focus and drop into a flow state? To have more energy? To physically perform at your best? To wind down and get ready for sleep? Or even to have better sex? Glen and JJ discuss all that and more. If you really want to perform at your best, then learning how to breathe is a key skill. JJ breaks it down for you in this episode –
For full show notes and episode resources, visit staminalab.io.
Topics:
- The type of breathing that JJ believes we should strive for in our day to day
- The difference between mouth breathing, nose breathing, and belly (or diaphragmatic) breathing
- What to do when you notice your breath and the power of awareness
- The role that your nervous system plays in pairing with your breathing to either increase or decrease stress
- How breathwork can be effective for training, endurance, and recovery
- Carbon Dioxide and what you need to know in order to use it effectively for your overall performance
- How humming comes into play with breathing, regulating your nervous system, and even getting better sleep
- The role that social conditioning has in creating healthier breathwork and how JJ solves this in his client sessions
- The components of JJ’s Human OPS framework
- How JJ recommends that a beginner starts their breathwork journey
Book your discovery session for Stamina Lab's Sleep Coaching Program at staminalab.io/sleep/
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