Other breath practices to explore?
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Andrew Huberman has discussed several breath practices and their benefits across various contexts:
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Cyclic Sighing:
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Physiological Sigh:
- Technique: One deep inhale, followed by a second shorter inhale, and a prolonged exhale.
- Benefits: Quickly reduces stress and calms the nervous system, optimal for immediate stress relief 1.
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Box Breathing:
- Technique: Inhale for a count of five, hold for five, exhale for five, and hold for five.
- Benefits: Reduces stress and helps with focus and performance, suitable for those who prefer structured breathing exercises 1.
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Cyclic Hyperventilation:
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Diaphragmatic Breathing:
- Technique: Inhale, expanding the belly rather than the chest.
- Benefits: Generally associated with improving lung function and possibly better managing stress. Though Andrew Huberman suggests that the primary effects of breathing patterns on emotion and cognition are more significant than the specific muscles used 5.
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Variability in Breath Practices:
- Technique: Switching between different breath patterns (e.g., box breathing, tumo breathing) over different sessions or within the same session.
- Benefits: Helps in understanding the relationship between different breathing patterns and their effects on the body, much like learning to handle a vehicle under different conditions 6.
Andrew Huberman emphasizes the importance of finding what works best individually and suggests experimenting with these different techniques to discover their unique benefits for stress reduction, mood improvement, and overall mental and physical health.
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