5 ms·

I've had this described to me as basically the combination of neuro+psychological effects of hyperventilation (respiratory alkalosis) in a peaceful/positive env

I've had this described to me as basically the combination of neuro+psychological effects of hyperventilation (respiratory alkalosis) in a peaceful/positive environment (as opposed to anxiety-attack-driven or etc.), plus the meditative effects of deep breathing, plus the meditative/brain-entrainment effects of rhythmic movement of a major central/core muscle (diaphragm). Together, those often cause euphoria, altered states of consciousness, and cognitive shifts not too far off from psychedelics. Could someone who is more familiar with it affirm, adjust, or deny that as a general (medically-grounded/secular) summary of breathwork?

hashmap 2y ago
Put on a five-minute song and start hyperventilating. You can tell pretty quick.
a1371 2y ago
I have a degree in building science, so maybe I can chime in. Note of caution: you will find yourself breathing heavily after reading this. It's normal. We do a terrible job at ventilating our indoor spaces. As a cave-dwelling species our brains are quite comfortable with tuning out bad smells and tolerating stale air -- but the effect of it on our mode and well-being is almost immediate. You don't notice the effect, but it is there. That's why they tell you if the airplane's cabin depressurizes, put on your own mask first. People who don't manage to that quickly enough their eyes stay open, they don't even feel anything is wrong, but they are physically unable to put on their masks until they pass out. If not eating proper food kills you in 3 weeks, not breathing proper air kills you in 3 minutes. Yet, people spend thousands of dollars on a new diet, but have no idea what kind of stuff are going into their lungs. The situation is not life and death. It's feeling nice versus feeling low. People end up with indoor air that is often stale and full of volatile compounds. We often make it worse by using essential oil diffusers and not using the vent hood when cooking. When you do a breathing exercise, all of a sudden you are giving your starving brain a dose of what it could be like. When you have a walk in the nature, you do the same. So yes, breathing exercises are great, but it's even better if we fix our indoor environments to feel great at all times.
- pkaye 2y ago
  How do you measure indoor air quality? CO2 levels?
  - AlchemistCamp 2y ago
    Buy an air quality monitor. There are tons on Amazon. Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZHJSQ7Z/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZHJSQ7Z/
  - accrual 2y ago
    I'ver heard the Aranet4 is quite good for this but haven't yet been able to justify buying one. I do try to open windows frequently, though.
    - malfist 2y ago
      I don't get why they're so expensive. You can buy the ndir co2 sensor on AliExpress for around $10. And yet they want $180 for that thing. And measuring humidity and barometric pressure is a component that costs $4 or $5 for you or I to buy.
      - ivm 2y ago
        Quality CO₂ sensors are pricey. I previously had two from AliExpress, but both were unreliable and eventually broke. I finally got an Aranet4, and it’s been flawless for over a year so far.
      - brians 1y ago
        They’re not using a $10 sensor. They’re being very careful which $40 sensor they use. And they’re calibrating the rest of the device to produce an accurate reading across its range.
  - colechristensen 2y ago
    Measure VOCs, PM2.5 particles, and CO2
  - 2y ago
quantum_state 2y ago
What you described is indeed true. There are breathing sessions at the Lifetime gym provide exactly the condition. People involved were amazed by the effect on their metal state.
ValveFan6969 2y ago
I'm a philosopher, not a medical professional. But I can tell you that philosophy and deep breathing are inextricably linked. Breathing deeply in of itself is a philosophical exercise, one that centers and grounds oneself in the here and now of the universe that surrounds you, and the universe that lies deep within you. It's a cosmic balance between the metaphysical and the empirical. As a philosopher, one must be able to breathe deeply, so one can breathe in, hold, and spew out the deepest and most esoteric pearls of knowledge unto the masses.
- tinix 2y ago
  Ah yes, the philosopher’s breath: inhale the cosmos, exhale epistemology. Repeat until the loop collapses or you do.
  - jkingsman 1y ago
    This made me laugh out loud; thank you haha
crummyglow 1y ago
>Together, those often cause euphoria, altered states of consciousness, and cognitive shifts not too far off from psychedelics. It must vary between people, because no matter the environment if I breath too eager, whether on purpose or accidentally (like working out) it just becomes really hard to think, everything starts to tingle and all my muscles lock up. A very not-fun time. Also dangerous with weights.
- maebert 1y ago
  The tingles and muscle cramps (tetany) are a normal byproduct (basically your neurons on your smallest muscles and under your skin get more excitable due to a molecular rube goldber machine set off by lower CO2 balance in your blood). It's uncomfortable, but unless you are suffering from epilepsy not dangerous and there's no lasting effects. I did a longer writeup on the physiological effects here if you're interested: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RuDv_E9osM1CCFWZMywMru9Jn-dw0HwBHXhGUU9osHo/edit?tab=t.0 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RuDv_E9osM1CCFWZMywMru9J...
maebert 1y ago
Very much on point. That said when facilitate breathwork sessions i trade the peaceful hippie music for edm (and it actually works better because it encourages people to stay with the rhythm and get into the same mildly trance-like state you might get into while exercising to repetitive music).
shishironline 1y ago
Your summary is exact. Medical personnel here

hashmap 2y ago

Put on a five-minute song and start hyperventilating. You can tell pretty quick.

a1371 2y ago

I have a degree in building science, so maybe I can chime in. Note of caution: you will find yourself breathing heavily after reading this. It's normal. We do a terrible job at ventilating our indoor spaces. As a cave-dwelling species our brains are quite comfortable with tuning out bad smells and tolerating stale air -- but the effect of it on our mode and well-being is almost immediate. You don't notice the effect, but it is there. That's why they tell you if the airplane's cabin depressurizes, put on your own mask first. People who don't manage to that quickly enough their eyes stay open, they don't even feel anything is wrong, but they are physically unable to put on their masks until they pass out. If not eating proper food kills you in 3 weeks, not breathing proper air kills you in 3 minutes. Yet, people spend thousands of dollars on a new diet, but have no idea what kind of stuff are going into their lungs. The situation is not life and death. It's feeling nice versus feeling low. People end up with indoor air that is often stale and full of volatile compounds. We often make it worse by using essential oil diffusers and not using the vent hood when cooking. When you do a breathing exercise, all of a sudden you are giving your starving brain a dose of what it could be like. When you have a walk in the nature, you do the same. So yes, breathing exercises are great, but it's even better if we fix our indoor environments to feel great at all times.

pkaye 2y ago
How do you measure indoor air quality? CO2 levels?
- AlchemistCamp 2y ago
  Buy an air quality monitor. There are tons on Amazon. Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZHJSQ7Z/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZHJSQ7Z/
- accrual 2y ago
  I'ver heard the Aranet4 is quite good for this but haven't yet been able to justify buying one. I do try to open windows frequently, though.
  - malfist 2y ago
    I don't get why they're so expensive. You can buy the ndir co2 sensor on AliExpress for around $10. And yet they want $180 for that thing. And measuring humidity and barometric pressure is a component that costs $4 or $5 for you or I to buy.
    - ivm 2y ago
      Quality CO₂ sensors are pricey. I previously had two from AliExpress, but both were unreliable and eventually broke. I finally got an Aranet4, and it’s been flawless for over a year so far.
    - brians 1y ago
      They’re not using a $10 sensor. They’re being very careful which $40 sensor they use. And they’re calibrating the rest of the device to produce an accurate reading across its range.
- colechristensen 2y ago
  Measure VOCs, PM2.5 particles, and CO2
- 2y ago

quantum_state 2y ago

What you described is indeed true. There are breathing sessions at the Lifetime gym provide exactly the condition. People involved were amazed by the effect on their metal state.

ValveFan6969 2y ago

I'm a philosopher, not a medical professional. But I can tell you that philosophy and deep breathing are inextricably linked. Breathing deeply in of itself is a philosophical exercise, one that centers and grounds oneself in the here and now of the universe that surrounds you, and the universe that lies deep within you. It's a cosmic balance between the metaphysical and the empirical. As a philosopher, one must be able to breathe deeply, so one can breathe in, hold, and spew out the deepest and most esoteric pearls of knowledge unto the masses.

tinix 2y ago
Ah yes, the philosopher’s breath: inhale the cosmos, exhale epistemology. Repeat until the loop collapses or you do.
- jkingsman 1y ago
  This made me laugh out loud; thank you haha

crummyglow 1y ago

>Together, those often cause euphoria, altered states of consciousness, and cognitive shifts not too far off from psychedelics. It must vary between people, because no matter the environment if I breath too eager, whether on purpose or accidentally (like working out) it just becomes really hard to think, everything starts to tingle and all my muscles lock up. A very not-fun time. Also dangerous with weights.

maebert 1y ago
The tingles and muscle cramps (tetany) are a normal byproduct (basically your neurons on your smallest muscles and under your skin get more excitable due to a molecular rube goldber machine set off by lower CO2 balance in your blood). It's uncomfortable, but unless you are suffering from epilepsy not dangerous and there's no lasting effects. I did a longer writeup on the physiological effects here if you're interested: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RuDv_E9osM1CCFWZMywMru9Jn-dw0HwBHXhGUU9osHo/edit?tab=t.0 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RuDv_E9osM1CCFWZMywMru9J...

maebert 1y ago

Very much on point. That said when facilitate breathwork sessions i trade the peaceful hippie music for edm (and it actually works better because it encourages people to stay with the rhythm and get into the same mildly trance-like state you might get into while exercising to repetitive music).

shishironline 1y ago

Your summary is exact. Medical personnel here