BREATHE easy
Masks play an important role in slowing the spread of COVID-19, but wearing them can take a little getting used to for some people. However, it’s not because you’re breathing in less oxygen. In fact, studies have shown that our oxygen levels remain the same with or without a mask.
What’s more, by changing a few simple things about the way we breathe, wearing a mask can become much more comfortable. Learning to breathe properly has endless other benefits too, from raising our immunity to lowering our blood pressure and helping to relieve anxiety.
“The ways in which you breathe have been directly correlated to longevity, health, mental health, physical health, you name it,” says journalist James Nestor, who spent four years visiting labs and remote locations around the world to research his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.
While people sometimes think they’re getting less oxygen when they wear a mask, James says this isn’t true. In fact, what you’re feeling is a slight increase in carbon dioxide. And while large amounts of CO2 can be bad for us, we need a certain amount of carbon dioxide to be healthy.
When we wear a mask we also tend to breathe more slowly. This may feel strange at first, but James says slow breathing is actually much better for you.
“By training yourself to breathe more slowly and to acclimate to higher levels of CO2 – which is going to be healthier for you – it’s going to be more comfortable to wear a mask,” he explains.
The first step to better breathing is also the most simple. “Breathe through your nose all the time,” James says. “When you breathe through your nose you’re pressurising air and you’re humidifying it and heating it up, which allows more oxygen to come through the lungs into the bloodstream.”
Our noses are also our first line of defence against viruses and infections. “When we breathe through the mouth we increase our risk of respiratory infections, we increase our risk of cavities and we are exposing our lungs to pollutants,” James explains.
Not only can slower breathing help to reduce anxiety, James says it actually allows our bodies to get more oxygen. A simple exercise you can try is to breathe in for a count of five to six, and then out for a count of five to six.
“You’re going to start feeling your fingers warm up and your heart slow down, that’s because your body is operating efficiently and you’re getting more circulation by getting less air more slowly,” he says.
“So many problems, from ADHD to neurological problems, to even metabolic disorders like diabetes are directly correlated to improper breathing during sleep,” James says.
And while we often delay seeking treatment for conditions such as snoring and sleep deprivation, James says it’s important to see your doctor.
“The number one thing is to recognise it,” he says. “Get it diagnosed. And then take specific steps to fix it.”
While we might not be able to jet set to a dreamy beachside location and snorkel among some gorgeous reefs, we can, in the meantime, adopt some coral!
With global warming putting enormous amounts of pressure on our coral reefs – resulting in irreversible damage such bleaching and infectious disease