dckathleen's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
This is a really interesting book with lots of research about the benefits of breathing correctly, and the detriments of mouth breathing and breathing less optimally. There were also several extreme breathing techniques which were discussed which could provide help for some people.
There were a few instances of talking about animal experiments. I listened to the audiobook and the author gave warning, so I skipped that.
This is interesting and a valuable reflection on something we do thousands of times per day. I liked learning about the similarities in breathing techniques (aka meditation and prayer) across unrelated cultures around the world. There are some breathing exercises at the end of the book
There were a few instances of talking about animal experiments. I listened to the audiobook and the author gave warning, so I skipped that.
This is interesting and a valuable reflection on something we do thousands of times per day. I liked learning about the similarities in breathing techniques (aka meditation and prayer) across unrelated cultures around the world. There are some breathing exercises at the end of the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
erinwolf1997's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Sexual assault
theyellowbrickreader's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Medical content
Minor: Suicide
sarasreading's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Probably around 3.5 but I'll bump it up because I read this in one day. There's some great info in here, some great feats of human endurance, and also some potentially misleading advice and pseudoscience.
To say, for instance, that ADHD symptoms can be managed with breathing, when it has far more to do with dopamine receptors in the brain than just about anything else, is unhelpful.
Still, it's a fun read, and if you practice yoga, several of the breath techniques will be familiar to you. The audiobook has a half hour instruction at the end on several breathing techniques, many I knew and some I didn't. I didn't know the 3-9 technique, and that one lowered my heart rate over 10 points with only a few rounds. By far the most effective one for me with my current health issues.
I saw a pulmonologist for the first time just before starting this book, and had several lung function tests done, and that helped add a personal layer to this reading experience. (Suffering from long COVID since being diagnosed last August.)
All that to say I do recommend it, but with several grains of salt.
To say, for instance, that ADHD symptoms can be managed with breathing, when it has far more to do with dopamine receptors in the brain than just about anything else, is unhelpful.
Still, it's a fun read, and if you practice yoga, several of the breath techniques will be familiar to you. The audiobook has a half hour instruction at the end on several breathing techniques, many I knew and some I didn't. I didn't know the 3-9 technique, and that one lowered my heart rate over 10 points with only a few rounds. By far the most effective one for me with my current health issues.
I saw a pulmonologist for the first time just before starting this book, and had several lung function tests done, and that helped add a personal layer to this reading experience. (Suffering from long COVID since being diagnosed last August.)
All that to say I do recommend it, but with several grains of salt.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Chronic illness, and Animal cruelty
euphemiajo's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Chronic illness
dgrachel's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.75
This was a well-written, engaging, informative look at breathing and its myriad impacts on bodies. I don't think I would have wanted to undergo the experiments the author did to test theories/impacts of mouth-breathing versus nose-breathing, but the science was fascinating, and a little frightening. I really appreciated the fact that the author noted an upcoming section about animal testing that could be traumatic to some listeners and gave us a length of time to skip ahead in the audiobook to miss those details.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
katrinarose's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
The author relied very heavily on anecdotal evidence, I was hoping for more of an exploration of what we know through scientific research. I did appreciate learning the history of many of the breathing practices though, and the author had an engaging way of writing which made it fun to listen to (makes sense since he is a journalist, not a scientist). Would recommend only if you don’t take everything he claims at face value.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, and Medical content
nyssbomb's review against another edition
informative
3.25
I think you can read the first couple of chapters and epilogue/conclusion to get the majority of the value out of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
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