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Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is bordeline quackery and it's interesting the extent to which it has wormed its way into every discussion. Nestor does no

by 303uru 3y ago

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is bordeline quackery and it's interesting the extent to which it has wormed its way into every discussion. Nestor does not exercise enough skepticism and overlooks the placebo effect completely in reporting out that breathing deeply will essentially solve every problem in your life. As a clinician, I think pretty weak, and also overlooks that poor breathing or mouth breathing is a symptom of other underlying issues not the issue itself. Go exercise for 60 minutes a day and you'll breath just fine.

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jboy55 3y ago
When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, it wasn't the breaths per hour that was the concern, it wasn't waking up during the night, it was my blood oxygen would dip to the 60s. So the researcher measured heart rate, breathing rate and not blood oxygen? Or maybe they did, and the headline of, "People hold their breath sometimes, blood oxygen remains in normal ranges", doesn't inspire me to learn how to breath.
norir 3y ago
I agree that Nestor's book should not be considered canonical but this sentiment goes way too far in the opposite direction. I have seen enormous improvements in my overall wellbeing since I started focusing on my breathing about four years ago. Prior to that I have both been a nationally ranked competitive cyclist and avid pickup basketball player so, in other words, quite fit. Of course my personal experience is inherently unscientific but it is also true. There are many, many positive effects that I have experienced that are directly related to my focus on the breath, but of course there have been other factors in my life too. I agree that just focusing on the breath alone cannot fix every problem (and wish some of the more zealous evangelists would dial back some of their claims) but I am quite certain that just exercising is not sufficient for many people. Conscious focus on the breath is important.

by 303uru 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

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jboy55 3y ago

When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, it wasn't the breaths per hour that was the concern, it wasn't waking up during the night, it was my blood oxygen would dip to the 60s. So the researcher measured heart rate, breathing rate and not blood oxygen? Or maybe they did, and the headline of, "People hold their breath sometimes, blood oxygen remains in normal ranges", doesn't inspire me to learn how to breath.

norir 3y ago

I agree that Nestor's book should not be considered canonical but this sentiment goes way too far in the opposite direction. I have seen enormous improvements in my overall wellbeing since I started focusing on my breathing about four years ago. Prior to that I have both been a nationally ranked competitive cyclist and avid pickup basketball player so, in other words, quite fit. Of course my personal experience is inherently unscientific but it is also true. There are many, many positive effects that I have experienced that are directly related to my focus on the breath, but of course there have been other factors in my life too. I agree that just focusing on the breath alone cannot fix every problem (and wish some of the more zealous evangelists would dial back some of their claims) but I am quite certain that just exercising is not sufficient for many people. Conscious focus on the breath is important.