To investors, I have been reading one book per week this year. This past week’s book was Breath by James Nestor. Highly recommend reading it. If you are interested in the individual highlights that I made in the physical book, you can read those here. Hope you enjoy these notes every Monday morning. Book’s main argument:This book argues that the importance of breathing - how we do it, when we do it, and how often we do it - is misunderstood by medical professionals and the average citizen. Although the book lays out the modern argument for the “correct” way to breathe, author James Nestor highlights the fact that many of the ideas are rooted in ancient discoveries. After reading this book, you will understand how you can become healthier, look younger, and live longer by breathing better. 6 Big Ideas:💡 Idea #1 — Breathing is an essential function of the body, and it drives a large portion of our health, but medical professionals treat it as an after-thought. It will be your responsibility to learn the importance of breathing and how to do it properly. Nestor writes:
The good news is that you can significantly improve your life if you master the art of breathing:
💡 Idea #2 — Many modern humans have evolved to breathe through their mouths. These mouthbreathers are doing more harm than good. The science is overwhelming that you should always breathe through your nose. Nestor explains how people have known this for hundreds, if not thousands, of years:
Nose breathing is superior due to nitric oxide levels, which helps the body function properly. Nestor writes:
💡 Idea #3 — Your nostrils are more sensitive and interconnected with your body than you probably realize. Nestor writes:
Each nostril is responsible for a different function, but they are able to self-regulate by working together.
💡 Idea #4 — Breathing is not enough by itself though. You must also have the lung capacity to hold enough oxygen. Nestor writes:
This idea is reinforced with a scientific study that found lung capacity was a great predictor of longevity:
💡 Idea #5 — Many people will immediately think of oxygen when they read about breathing, but a compelling amount of scientific research argues that carbon dioxide is much more important for human performance and longevity. Nestor writes:
Nestor also quotes Henderson with a direct argument for carbon dioxide:
💡 Idea #6 — You are probably breathing too much. Scientific research suggests that your body can benefit from breathing less, not more. Nestor writes:
Memorable quotes:
Pomp’s Takeaways:This book was fascinating to read. Breathing is something that we do thousands of times per day, but we never really think about it. I found myself trying to regulate my breath, and follow Nestor’s tips, while I was reading the book. The more conscious I became of my breathing, the more it seems to have slowed down time. Honestly, pretty cool. One of my big takeaways was how society has placed a premium on mental toughness, but some of it can be explained by science. For example, there is a section in the book on Wim Hoff, who is known as the Ice Man. He has become well-known for running long distances in the snow with no shirt on or being able to physically reject viruses that were injected into his body. His secret? A special breathing regimen coupled with prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Is Wim mentally tough? Absolutely. But does he also understand how his breath can heat up his body and recruit the necessary response to reject external threats? Of course. My second big takeaway was how little we still understand about breathing. The entire book talks about the art and science of this activity, including historical analysis of our ancestors through the present day, but there are sections where different types of breathing are explained, yet scientists and medical professionals admit they still don’t fully understand how the outcomes are achieved. One example of this is Holotropic Breathwork - a breathing practice that reportedly has a therapeutic effect on people’s mental state. The “what” is easy to measure, but we still can’t figure out “why” it happens. A third takeaway was the rampant evolution of the human body. There is a discussion in the book about our breathing patterns having the ability to change the way our throat, mouth, teeth, and face are constructed. It sounds implausible, but Nestor’s evidence and argument is quite convincing. Additionally, there was a section of the book that highlights the negative impact “soft foods” have had on humans once they were introduced into our diets. How we breathe, and what we eat, have changed the way we look, along with how our bodies perform. Lastly, I walked away from the book convinced that being more intentional about my breathing would have a positive impact on my life. Am I going to spend hours a day conducting breathing exercises like a psychopath? No. But I can already tell that a few minutes of controlled breathing can help me relax, calm my mind, and increase my focus. For the few minutes invested on a daily basis in a fairly simple activity, the cost-benefit analysis is skewed towards doing it. As I mentioned, this past week’s book was Breath by James Nestor. Highly recommend reading it. If you are interested in the individual highlights that I made in the physical book, you can read those here. Hope you enjoy these notes every Monday. Feel free to leave a comment - I read all of them. -Pomp Note: Make sure you are subscribed to receive these personal notes each Monday morning. You're currently a free subscriber to The Pomp Letter. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |