In this engaging conversation, science journalist James Nestor, author of the bestselling book "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art," reveals why many of us are breathing incorrectly. He discusses the surprising impacts of posture and mouth breathing on our health, and how fixing these issues can alleviate anxiety and improve sleep quality. Nestor shares practical breathing exercises and highlights the importance of exhalation, making a compelling case for why we should pay more attention to breathing as a tool for wellness.
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Nestor's Breathing Journey
James Nestor's interest in breathing began with his own unresolved respiratory issues.
Doctors offered only temporary solutions until he discovered the impact of breathing techniques.
insights INSIGHT
Breathing: A Missing Pillar
Breathing is a fundamental pillar of health, often overlooked alongside diet and exercise.
Dysfunctional breathing hinders overall health, regardless of other healthy habits.
insights INSIGHT
Dysfunctional Breathing
Most people breathe dysfunctionally, contributing to various health problems like asthma and sleep apnea.
These issues are often misattributed to other causes, overlooking the role of dysfunctional breathing.
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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.
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At times, self-improvement can seem like a never-ending hallway filled with limitless shame and insufficiency. So when something as simple as the breath falls into this category, it seems only natural to meet that news with some resistance. Our guest today, James Nestor argues that many of us, of all things, are breathing incorrectly but that by fixing our breathing, it can help with both physical and psychological ailments.
Nestor is a science journalist who wrote a book called, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, which spent 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was translated into more than 35 languages.
In this episode we talk about:
How Nestor got interested in breathing in the first place
Why we are the worst breathers in the animal kingdom
10% Happier with Dan Harris 
