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Learn: The basics, honest comparisons and the research

Start with the basics, compare two breaths side by side, or read what the studies really found. Every claim links to its source.

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15 articles
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A woman in a cream jumper and headphones sitting on a stool against a sage-green wall, eyes closed, hands in her lap
LearnHow to breathe, honest comparisons and what the research says.

The reading list · 14 articles

  1. 02 Best breathing techniques: one honest table Twelve techniques in one table: pace, holds, best for, evidence. Side by side · 6 min
  2. 03 Breathing exercises for beginners A few minutes is enough to start. Questions · 5 min
  3. 04 Why does deep breathing make me dizzy? Usually you’re breathing more than you need. Breathe more gently, not more deeply. Questions · 5 min
  4. 05 What is breathwork? Any practice where you change your breathing on purpose. Questions · 6 min
  5. 06 Box breathing vs 4-7-8: which to use when One keeps you steady for the meeting. The other helps you put the day down. Side by side · 5 min
  6. 07 Nose breathing vs mouth breathing: what the evidence says Why “in through the nose” is the default, and what the evidence shows. Side by side · 6 min
  7. 08 Chest breathing vs belly breathing: where your breath goes Where your breath goes, and how to move it lower. Side by side · 5 min
  8. 09 Is mouth taping safe, and does it work? A popular habit, looked at calmly. Side by side · 5 min
  9. 10 Slow breathing benefits: what it does to your body Heart rate, HRV, blood pressure, mood: what slow breathing does, and its honest limits. Research · 10 min
  10. 11 Normal breathing rate, and why slower calms Typical resting breathing is 12 to 20 breaths a minute. Slow breathing is 4 to 10. Questions · 5 min
  11. 12 Why do I sigh so much? A sigh is a double breath in and a long breath out, and your body does it on its own. Questions · 5 min
  12. 13 CO2 tolerance and the BOLT score What the tests measure, and why we explain them rather than train them. Research · 6 min
  13. 14 Breath, James Nestor’s book: what the science supports The bestseller’s big ideas, checked against the studies. Research · 6 min
  14. 15 Breathing glossary Vagal tone, resonance frequency, RSA: the words, plainly. Questions · 9 min

Also in Learn, from other sections

Breathe gently, never strain, and stop if you feel dizzy, light-headed or short of breath.