Gone are the days where our greatest fear is being eaten by a sabertooth tiger or for many of us in Western culture whether or not we will survive famine but our body was engineered to assess, acknowledge and respond to fear. Even though we don’t have the clear and imminent threats of our ancestors we still experience high levels of anxiety, fear based decision paralysis and more of a regular basis. Today those things manifest in our needs to people please, fear of getting the boss angry, letting someone you love down or even not achieve a goal that you also feel deeply needed to be achieved. The states are different but the feeling is the same and after speaking with my team candidly about my most recent bouts with anxiety we decided to try something so that we are all well equipped when the fear and anxiety roll in.
Sam Knight of Team Shaun T suggested I try biohacking and the first biohacking exercise is one for BREATHING that will help regulate and ease my anxiety. Once a month I will be trying a different biohacking exercise and you can see whether it works or not right here on Shaun T Playbook. Check out the BREATHING BIO HACK Video:
The goal of biohacking your breathing is to channel and control our neurochemistry through the breath. When achieved we can lower blood pressure and promote positive hormonal changes. This allows us to take control of our “Animal mind” and instead use our “Logical mind” creating a thoughtful response, not an emotional reaction. An added benefit is that the practice spreads oxygen to the body and the muscles.
We address four different types of breaths in this biohacking exercise, tactical, box, stomach, and nose. Stomach breathing is shallow breathing that engages your upper lungs. This is the same area that prompts us to hyperventilate. It is also the type of breathing that triggers sympathetic nerve receptors, which control the fight or flight response. Meaning you are ALWAYS on edge and always angry, mad, sad, etc, emotions all over the place.
If carbon dioxide is lost too quickly, as in mouth breathing, oxygen absorption is decreased, which can result in dizziness or even fainting. Nose breathing humidifies the air and warms it as it enters your body. It also cleans the air of dust particles by filtering through nose hairs and bacteria via enzymes in the mucus. Also during the process of nose breathing release trace amounts of nitric oxide which help deliver oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide (the fuel) to our cells. This boosts our performance and combats harmful bacteria and viruses in our bodies, regulating blood pressure and boosting the immune system. The nose is an extension of a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for many functions in our bodies, particularly those that are automatic, such as heartbeat, blood pressure, thirst, appetite, and sleep cycles. Nose breathing stimulates nerve cells that exist in your nervous system beneath or behind sternum near your spine, triggering the parasympathetic nervous system which calms your body down in a state of fight or flight. If you calm your mind down, you calm your body down. Tactical breathing is the breath you experience when pushing your belly out. You breathe deep into lungs, as opposed to the upper part of lungs like when mouth breathing. There are 3 parts to this breath: Belly, Diaphragm, and Chest. Box breathing in through the nose with a count of 5-6. Hold for a count of 4. Breathe out of the mouth for a count of 5-6. Hold for a count of 4.
Let’s take a second and talk about the nervous system because these breathing methods are going to be utilized so that we can exert control over our nervous system. The nervous system is broken down into two parts: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system’s primary process is to stimulate the body’s fight-flight-or-freeze response. It is, however, constantly active at a basic level to maintain homeostasis or stable equilibrium. Parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.
After learning this biohacking practice I began to apply it in my regular life and I really felt a difference in one situation in particular: while playing tennis. When I play tennis I am really focused and I find myself getting to a point where in the match I would get bored or become so frustrated that I would become overly aggressive. In one of my most recent matches I was up and feeling good and typically when I am up I get really tense. However, this time I took a moment to breathe using the biohacking method and I was able to take in the breathe, held it, enjoyed the oxygen and exhaled for four and then proceeded to get on the line to serve or receive. I am 100% sure I won because I went with the breathe throughout my match and workout.
If you want to try biohacking your breathing at home here’s how:
Next month we will focus on meditation and how to achieve peace and serenity within oneself to another level.