7 ms·
Anecdotal evidence, but I've noticed how Magnus Carlsen, the current best chess player, is often mouth breathing when very focused in a game. When I was a kid I
by leoff 4y ago
Anecdotal evidence, but I've noticed how Magnus Carlsen, the current best chess player, is often mouth breathing when very focused in a game. When I was a kid I often also caught myself mouth breathing when focused on a videogame, and I think this is a common tendency for people.
I wonder if this really has a negative impact, or rather a positive one.
- gcanyon 4y agoInteresting. I have a strong subconscious urge to keep my mouth shut -- not kidding, I think inspired by watching Mary Poppins as a kid: "Mouth closed, Michael, we are not a codfish." So even when I am most focused, my mouth is always closed.
- amelius 4y agoI often catch myself grinding my teeth while being focused. Which of course makes mouth breathing impossible. When I am really focused for a long time, this even causes my jaw to become stiff and speaking becomes very difficult for a while.
- shadowgovt 4y agoWithout devising a research project with flawed methodology that nonetheless gets published, my wild-ass guess would be that conscious cognitive function is maximized by allowing breathing to be managed by the unconscious mind. Maybe he opens his mouth because it's the most comfortable thing to do in the moment.
- manmal 4y agoSome people have insufficient airflow through the nose. If you look at Magnus‘ nose (and midface), it looks slightly recessed, which could result in partial airway blockage. Him mouthbreathing could be a strategy to get more air in. I‘m not sure that can be generalized.
- joshspankit 4y agoIt could also be that he has to consciously keep his mouth closed, and when he’s deep in a match he stops concentrating on it.
- johanneskanybal 4y agoMouth breather here, that's good to hear :) Always feels a bit like using a straw to draw air through my nose for me, possibly choir practice as a kid impacted it too.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]