Breathing Habits of High Performers with Patrick McKeown
Jun 30, 2021
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In this enlightening discussion, Patrick McKeown, an international best-selling author and leading breathing re-education expert, shares insights on the crucial role of proper breathing. He uncovers how chronic mouth-breathing from stress harms health and performance. Patrick reveals benefits of nasal breathing, including improved endurance and mental clarity. He addresses the impacts of breathing on sleep quality and anxiety, while emphasizing techniques that enhance overall well-being. Discover how mastering breath can unlock potential and boost resilience!
Chronic over-breathing, driven by stress, leads to significant health issues and negatively impacts overall performance and well-being.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a crucial metric for assessing stress levels, with breathing techniques helping to optimize its measurement.
Nasal breathing is essential for better respiratory function, sleep quality, and overall health, while mouth breathing exacerbates various sleep-related conditions.
Deep dives
Understanding Chronic Overbreathing
Chronic overbreathing is a significant breathing pattern disorder often linked to various health issues. This condition typically arises under chronic stress, leading to fast and shallow breathing that may deplete carbon dioxide levels in the blood, impacting blood circulation and oxygen delivery. It is particularly prevalent in populations experiencing anxiety (70-80%) and asthma (30%). Screening for breathing pattern disorders can involve simple tests such as measuring breath hold time, which can help identify dysfunctions in breathing patterns.
The Role of Heart Rate Variability
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) serves as an important metric for assessing the impact of stress on the body. It provides objective feedback on vagal tone, indicating stress levels and helping individuals understand their mental state better. HRV has gained attention in the context of breathing because techniques that optimize breathing can also help enhance HRV. Specifically, the implementation of focused breathing exercises can positively influence HRV, thus promoting better physiological balance.
Significance of Nasal Breathing
Nasal breathing is fundamental for achieving optimal respiratory function and overall health. It regulates airflow, promoting deeper breaths through the diaphragm and facilitating more effective gas exchange in the lungs. The process also encourages a slower breathing rate, which can stimulate the vagus nerve, helping create a state of calmness and better sleep. Issues such as mouth breathing exacerbate problems like snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, significantly affecting sleep quality and overall well-being.
Breathing Techniques for Anxiety Management
People with high anxiety often experience rapid, upper chest breathing that can perpetuate feelings of panic. Breath-holding exercises can enhance awareness of breathing patterns and help desensitize individuals to the sensations of air hunger. Techniques such as normal inhalation followed by breath-holding create a calming effect, promoting relaxation through enhanced carbon dioxide levels. These strategies can also be integrated into broader anxiety management practices alongside cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Link Between Sleep Quality and Breathing
Quality sleep is heavily influenced by breathing patterns, where nasal breathing and proper sleep hygiene are crucial. Studies indicate that obstructive sleep apnea is more pronounced in mouth breathers, leading to fragmented sleep and subsequent daytime fatigue. Practical strategies to improve sleep include using mouth tape to encourage nasal breathing during the night, optimizing airflow, and ensuring comfortable sleeping conditions. The cumulative effect of enhancing sleep through improved breathing can lead to significant benefits in mental clarity and emotional regulation.
In This Episode:
Mouth-breathing evolved as a survival mechanism during "fight or flight". But today, because so many of us experience chronic stress and anxiety, mouth breathing is the dominant way in which we breathe - much to the detriment of our health and performance. In this episode, Patrick McKeown, International best-selling author of The Oxygen Advantage and one of the world’s leading breathing re-education experts, explains why breathing isn't just for Yogis and why high performers, creators, or anyone who wants to spend more time in flow states must learn how to breathe properly.
Episode Guest: Patrick McKeown
International best-selling author of The Oxygen Advantage and creator and master instructor of the Oxygen Advantage® technique, Patrick McKeown is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading breathing re-education experts. Over the past two decades, Patrick has trained thousands of people around the world to safely challenge their bodies and produce positive changes through breathing re-education. He teaches a new way to breathe, combined with specific exercises designed to improve blood chemistry. The result is an increase in oxygen flow to all the body’s systems, meaning greater endurance, strength, and power.
Website(s): https://oxygenadvantage.com/the-breathing-cure/
https://buteykoclinic.com/buteykochildren/
Show Notes:
01:30 - Intro to Patrick
03:50 - Chronic over-breathing and breathing pattern disorders are extremely prevalent for people with anxiety or asthma.
06:00 What is dysfunctional breathing? And, how to screen for breathing pattern disorders.
09:00 - Stress, HRV and Breathing
12:50 - 3 Mistakes made when breathing
13:15 How nasal breathing differs from mouth breathing and why mouth breathing evolved.
16:00 The problem with mouth breathing
16:50 Why breathing is essential for high performers: focus, concentration and attention span
17:40 Why taking a full deep breath can be a big mistake.
19:00 - Air hunger stimulates the vagus nerve
22:40 - During sleep, what can we do to improve our breathing?
27:20 - LSD
39:00 - The founding father of sleep medicine
44:00 - The basics often get overlooked
51:00 - Tongue in the roof of the mouth
53:30 - Patrick's books and what they address
1:05:00 - Where to find Patrick's work
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