Breath
Have you heard about James Nestor’s Breath? I read the book a few months ago, and I am officially obsessed with breathing. My first reaction to the book was, “Holy cow, I can’t even breathe right!” And in typical form, I brought my full force and attention to correcting my breathing, and I talk about it all the time (ask friends and acquaintances!). It’s so hard for me to wrap my head around how something unconscious and automatic can be so dysfunctional. But, you know, LIFE!
Nestor describes human skulls of 400 years ago, with wide, Superman-square jaws and perfectly straight teeth. Since that time, skull shapes have changed, with many people having mouths that cannot accommodate their teeth. He explores reasons for this, from dietary changes to the industrial revolution. The book investigates the curious combination of small mouths, crooked teeth, failed orthodontia, mouth breathing, anxiety, and sleep apnea, among other things. He summarizes a cyclical history of researchers and practitioners treating asthma and anxiety and improving athletic performance through breath practice, only to have these treatments ignored by conventional medicine. Problems with breath impact energy, arousal, posture, cardiovascular health, movement, muscle tension, and mood. The whole energy system is vitalized or depleted by the way we breathe.
All of this resonates so much with me because I have experienced failed orthodontia, I have sleep apnea, and until recently was a completely oblivious mouth breather. I mean, really??! I can’t say enough about this book and what it has opened up for me. I was on the cusp of jaw surgery, mentally preparing myself for pain without promise of a cure for my issues. Now I am on a holistic path, training in breath work and myofascial therapy. My neck and shoulder pain has diminished, my nervous system is getting a break, and my quality of life is improving as I travel on this breath journey.
I have learned a lot about why my breath patterns changed over the years, from being pregnant and not being able to breathe with my diaphragm to adapting to shallow chest breath patterns during periods of chronic stress in my life. I believed that deep breathing helped calm my mind, and I have since learned that my breath volume was inefficient and actually drained my energy because I released too much carbon dioxide during those deep breaths. It has been an eye opening discovery, and I intend to work on my breathing life long because the impact is real. Attention to the breath is also attention to the present. It’s a way for me to be mindful and improve my health.
If you’re ready to take a dive into this world of mouth taping and nasal breathing, here are some resources. You will be fascinated by how much breath shapes your experience. It is life force, after all, so it makes sense to pay attention to how we do it!
The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
Interview of James Nestor by Dr. Jennifer Hobson, PT
I’m also offering a class that will help you work on breathing patterns and strategies to find calm.
