Breath is automatic, the flow of life that is with you from birth to death. It’s the one constant, the unseen force, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the body that vitalizes every cell and tissue in your body.
This seemingly simple process that happens automatically may hold the key to radical age reversal in aiding to slow down the rate of metabolic breakdown while improving the expression of health and thriving in the system.
Modern breathing has shifted from slow and steady to fast and shallow for most.
We are designed to breathe softly, in and out through our nose with a normal breath rate of 6-9 breaths per minute, yet many are breathing at a rate well above 12 breaths per minute with the new average breath rate coming in at 16 breaths per minute, heading into hyperventilation states of anxiety breathing.
Science has linked the rate of breath to lifespan, studying many breeds of animals and noting the slower they breathe, the longer they live. The main takeaway being on the downstream metabolic impact. The greater the rate of breath, the more O2 and the less CO2 leading to metabolic chaos and breakdown adding to accelerated aging.
Step 1: Notice how you breathe- fast and shallow in your upper chest and lungs or low and slow down into your belly? Are you breathing in and out through your nose or mouth? How many breaths per minute are you taking in?
Step 2: Practice simple shifts. Your breathing should be soft and gentle, in and out through your nose ( no mouth breathing!- this dumps too much CO2 and accelerates aging and cognitive impairment). Strive for 8-12 breaths per minute and see if over time you can ultimately end up in the 6-9 breaths per minute zone down into the belly vs up high in the chest.
Step 3: Soft, Low and Slow is the way to go for increasing your healthspan, lifespan and wellspan.
