Transmutable Explorations

Tag: Breathwork

  • Training the Inspiratory Muscles: A Review of the O2Trainer

    Training the Inspiratory Muscles: A Review of the O2Trainer

    In the realm of fitness and wellness, training your respiratory muscles has gained significant attention in recent years.  These muscles, comprising the diaphragm and accessory muscles, play a vital function in facilitating efficient breathing.  A few months ago, I started using the O2Trainer to enhance my breathing capabilities and overall performance.  In this blog post, I’ll delve into the importance of training your inspiratory muscles.  I will also discuss the pros and cons of using the O2Trainer.

    Why Train the Inspiratory Muscles?

    Inspiratory muscle training is essential for individuals with respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and cystic fibrosis.  Even if you don’t suffer from one of these conditions, training these muscles can provide a noticeable performance boost in any physical activity that you take part in.  Breathing may be an involuntary process, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t train to improve this.  Weak inspiratory muscles can lead to:

    1. Reduced lung function: Weakened inspiratory muscles impair lung expansion, resulting in decreased oxygenation and increased respiratory distress.
    2. Increased respiratory rate: Compensatory mechanisms, such as increased breathing frequency, can lead to fatigue, discomfort, and decreased quality of life.
    3. Decreased exercise capacity: Insufficient inspiratory muscle strength hampers athletic performance and daily activities.  With stronger diaphragmatic contractions, you’ll be able to take in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide.  This will result in increased stamina and endurance during workouts.
    4. Boost overall health: Stronger respiratory muscles can help combat conditions like asthma, sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

    The O2Trainer: A Device for Inspiratory Muscle Training

    The O2Trainer is a portable, non-invasive device designed to strengthen the inspiratory muscles.  This device was developed by a former MMA fighter where it was predominantly used for several years.  It progressively trains your inspiratory muscles in a way that anyone can start with the easiest setting.  It accomplishes this by using an adjustable mechanism to provide external resistance, simulating the demands of breathing under load.  By engaging the diaphragm and accessory muscles using the device, the O2Trainer is meant to improve respiratory function and increase endurance.

    Pros of Using the O2Trainer

    1. Convenience: The O2Trainer is lightweight and portable, making it easy to incorporate into daily routines, such as during travel or at home.
    2. Customizable resistance: The device allows users to adjust resistance levels, accommodating different fitness goals and abilities.
    3. Improved respiratory function: Regular use of the O2Trainer can lead to enhanced lung function, increased oxygenation, and reduced respiratory symptoms.  Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training using devices like the O2Trainer in enhancing respiratory function and performance.
    4. Cost-effective: Compared to other respiratory training devices, the O2Trainer is relatively affordable.

    Cons of Using the O2Trainer

    1. Initial adjustment period: Some users may experience discomfort or fatigue during the initial adaptation phase, which typically subsides within a few sessions.
    2. User-dependent: The device’s effectiveness seems to vary depending on individual factors.  If you’ve already spent time training your inspiratory muscles, you might not see benefits in using this device.  Overall, this device requires discipline and consistency in order to reap the benefits.
    3. Limited accessibility: While the O2Trainer is portable, it may not be as easy to incorporate into your routine as other devices.  Competitor devices are often ‘full mask’ incorporating a headstrap to keep the device on during more vigorous activity.

    My Use of the O2Trainer

    I first discovered the O2Trainer after the first time I took the BreathingIQ quiz.  My score on this test was extremely poor the first time I took it. This was a shock since I always considered myself a ‘good breather’ 🤣 Soon after this, I made it a point to improve my score on this test and incorporated the 02Trainer into my daily practice.  I started by adding this into the meditation portion of my day.  Within days, I noticed that it had the side effect making me extremely conscious of any time that I was breathing in an incorrect way.  After a few months, my respiratory rate had decreased by 1 breath per minute, my estimated VO2Max had noticeably increased and there was a positive impact to my HRV as well!

    Hypoxic Training

    More recently, while preparing for my first multi day backpacking trip at high altitude, I started to incorporate the 02Trainer into my training.  I used it as a form of hypoxic training while walking at an ever increasing pace on my treadmill on the max incline setting while wearing a weighted vest.

    Hypoxic training typically involves training at high altitudes or in hypoxic environments to stimulate the production of red blood cells and improve oxygen delivery to the muscles. While the O2Trainer isn’t technically a form of true hypoxic training, you can approximate some of the benefits.  Getting these benefits using the o2Trainer also allows you to bypass some of difficulties of true hypoxic training:

    1. Accessibility: Hypoxic training requires access to high-altitude environments or specialized equipment, which can be expensive and difficult to obtain. The O2Trainer, on the other hand, is a portable, easy-to-use device that can be used anywhere.
    2. Cost: Hypoxic training can be costly, both in terms of equipment and/or travel expenses. The O2Trainer is a more affordable option, with a one-time purchase and no additional expenses.
    3. Time commitment: Hypoxic training typically requires a significant time commitment, as athletes must spend extended periods at high altitudes to achieve the desired benefits. The O2Trainer, however, can be used in short, daily sessions, making it a more time-efficient option.
    4. Respiratory muscle training: While hypoxic training does challenge respiratory muscles, it primarily focuses on increasing oxygen delivery to the muscles. The O2Trainer specifically targets inspiratory muscle training, which can lead to improvements in respiratory efficiency and overall respiratory health.
    5. Safety: True hypoxic training carries some risks, including altitude sickness and respiratory complications. The O2Trainer is a safer option, as it gradually increases resistance levels and does not expose users to extreme altitudes/low oxygen environments.

    Conclusion

    I feel that the O2Trainer is a valuable tool for individuals seeking to strengthen their inspiratory muscles and improve respiratory function.  Like adding anything to your routine, the O2Trainer requires dedication and consistency.  Despite this, you can unlock a new level of performance and overall well-being by incorporating inspiratory muscle training into your fitness regimen.

  • Cold Water Immersion

    Cold Water Immersion

    Embrace the Chill: Unleashing the Joys of Cold Water Immersion

    In the realm of personal wellness, few practices have gained as much attention and popularity as cold water immersion. This technique is accessible to everyone.  It has been embraced by athletes, mental health advocates, and everyday individuals looking to supercharge their physical and mental well-being.  In this post, I’ll delve into the world of cold plunging, providing you with a comprehensive guide on how to perform a cold plunge and explore the myriad benefits that await those who dare to embrace the chill.

    What is Cold Water Immersion?

    Cold water immersion involves voluntarily exposing yourself to cold water long enough to feel uncomfortable. This practice has been employed by athletes, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking to find additional means of eek-ing out gains. The sudden change in temperature causes a stress response in the body, which in theory can lead to a range of benefits.

    Benefits of Cold Plunging

    Cold immersion is one of the many therapies that rely on an hormetic stressor for its benefits.  Some documented bodily changes include:

    Increased circulation

    Cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict, and when you warm up, they dilate, improving circulation.  Improved circulation leads to many other benefits within the body.

    Reduced inflammation

    Cold water has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce muscle soreness and joint pain.  One of the most effective things that I have found reduces a chronic foot pain that I’ve been dealing with is cold water immersion.

    Improved immune function

    Cold water stimulates the release of white blood cells, which helps to fight off infections and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.  Cold water immersion has been linked to an increase in the production of T-lymphocytes and NK cells, which play a crucial role in innate tumor immunity.

    Improved Recovery

    Likely due to the reduction in inflammation and increased circulation, cold plunging has been shown to improve recovery time.  Ultimately, meta studies have shown this leading to enhanced physical performance.  Cold plunging can help alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness, making it an ideal practice for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.  It is important to be aware of additional studies that have shown that cold exposure can have negative outcomes if used to close to resistance training.

    Mental Clarity and Focus

    The cold water shock triggers the release of adrenaline, which can improve mental clarity, boost focus, and reduce stress and anxiety.   Overcoming the discomfort of a cold plunge can help build mental toughness and willpower, translating to other areas of life.  Enhanced mood and emotional well-being due to the release endorphins, is one of the most noticeable immediate impacts of cold water immersion.

    Improved Metabolism

    Studies have shown that those who are acclimated to cold exposure have a higher resting metabolism.  It’s theorized that this is due to increased amounts of and more metabolically active brown adipose tissue.

    The Art of Cold Plunging

    General consensus among cold plunging advocates is that immersing yourself in water with a temperature of 50°F (10°C) or lower for a short period, typically ranging from 1 to 3 minutes qualifies as cold water immersion.  In reality, studies have shown that many of the benefits can be obtained with warmer temperatures if you scale up the time spent.  In winter time, I will often just work outside for 20 minutes in shorts and a t-shirt.

    My first experiences with intentional cold exposure came while studying the Wim Hof Method.  Wim’s practice embraces the cold in many ways, but I started just by doing colder showers than I would normally take.  Even a few minutes of doing this will have you believing that there is something noticeable occurring with your mental state.  Eventually, I started arranging backpacking trips around sources of natural cold water so that I could enjoy this after a day of hiking.  After building a sauna at home, I purchased a container that I could fill with my well water and added ice so that I could indulge in hot/cold contrast.

    The Cold Water Immersion Process

    As noted above, to reap the benefits of cold exposure, you could just finish your shower at a colder and colder temperature every day.  I would encourage everyone though to work up to doing a proper ‘cold plunge’.  Here are some tips to make the most of it.

    Location

    Obviously, the first step is finding or creating a location where you can immerse yourself in cold water.  These exist all over in nature and that’s a great way to see if this practice is right for you or not.  Additionally, there are now many workshops where you can go with others for your first cold water immersion experience.

    Acclimation

    Many people will play around with acclimation, especially when starting out.  Do hot/cold contrast showers or at a bare minimum start with warmer temperatures and gradually move colder over time.  As with anything, it’s probably not the best idea to go to extremes right from the start.

    Mental Preparation

    No matter where you go and what temperature you choose, preparing yourself mentally will likely be required.  The Wim Hof Method incorporates breathwork and some other mindfulness practices to assist with this, but just focusing on your breath before immersion and trying to avoid shallow breathing while you’re in the cold is very helpful.  Please note, that especially if you’re immersing yourself in water, be very careful about doing any type of breathwork that may lead to loss of consciousness while you’re immersed.

    Immersion

    Now submerge yourself fully in the cold up to the neck.  Don’t go in slow, just commit.  Focus on breathing normally rather than shallowly and try to relax.  Depending on how you feel, you might want to fully submerge your head at this point.  This will trigger the mammalian dive reflex which may add further to the benefits of the cold water immersion.  Try to spend 2 – 3 minutes in the water.

    Recovery

    Slowly emerge from the water.  Take deep breaths and allow your body to gradually warm up.  You can perform some light movements to assist with this, but recent studies have shown additional metabolic benefits of allowing yourself to warm via shivering.

    Repeat

    Once you’re warm again, you can repeat the whole process if you would like!

    Embrace the Cold

    Embracing the chill of cold water immersion may seem daunting at first, but the benefits are undeniable.  Cold water immersion is a powerful tool for transforming your physical and mental well-being.  You’ll experience a range of physical, mental, and emotional advantages that will have you coming back for more.  So, take the plunge and discover the joys of cold water immersion for yourself.  Your body and mind will thank you.

  • Tracking Health and Performance Metrics

    Tracking Health and Performance Metrics

    I remember reading about the Quantified Self movement in the early 2000s. Even though this was something that people were experimenting with for years, I felt that it was a revolutionary approach to understanding and improving our health and well-being.  In the early days, it was difficult to collect and analyze all of the data that would be useful to collect.  During this time, I’ve witnessed the incredible potential of wearable technology and mobile apps to revolutionize the way we track and optimize our health and performance.   In this article, I’ll share my insights on how I leverage the currently available tools in tracking health metrics.

    What is the Quantified Self Movement?

    The Quantified Self movement is a community of individuals who track and measure various aspects of their lives using wearable devices, apps, and other technologies.  By collecting data on their habits, behaviors, and physiological responses, they aim to improve their health, performance, and overall well-being.  The movement is rooted in the idea that self-knowledge through tracking health metrics leads to self-improvement.

    Early Challenges

    In the early days of the Quantified Self (QS) movement, there were several challenges that enthusiasts faced.  One of the main difficulties was the lack of user-friendly technology.  The limited availability of consumer products capable of tracking health metrics created a high barrier to entry for QS membership.  Many early adopters had to create their own sensors and devices to track the data they wanted.  This required a significant amount of technical knowledge and resources.

    Additionally, data privacy and security were major concerns. With the rise of digital tracking and data collection, individuals had to be cautious about what information they shared and with whom. There were also concerns about the potential misuse of personal data by companies and organizations.

    Both of these challenges created a ‘burden of tracking’, even before most interested individuals got to the ‘burden of analysis’.  This led to a general disinterest in the movement from many people.  Despite these challenges, early adopters of the Quantified Self movement were passionate about pushing the boundaries of self-tracking and exploring new ways to improve their lives using data. Their dedication and innovation laid the foundation for the thriving community we see today.

    Quantified Self Today

    Today, the QS movement can leverage a wide range of consumer grade technologies and tools that enable individuals to easily track various aspects of their lives. The community continues to grow, with more people embracing self-tracking as a means of optimizing their health and performance.

    One of the biggest changes in the Quantified Self movement is the increased accessibility of technology.  Gone are the days of building your own sensors and devices; now, there are numerous options available for consumers to choose from, making it easier than ever to get started with self-tracking.  Additionally, advancements in data privacy and security have made it possible for individuals to track their metrics with greater peace of mind.

    As the movement becomes more mainstream, the ‘burden of tracking’ is starting to go away.  The current challenge is now shifting to the ‘burden of analysis’ of sifting through the abundance of collected data.  The struggle for many is now with interpreting and using their metrics effectively.

    Why Track Health Metrics?

    There are several compelling reasons why someone might want to become involved with the Quantified Self movement:

    Increased Awareness/Self-Improvement

    By tracking and analyzing data related to your health, habits, and performance, you can gain valuable insights into your life and make informed decisions about how to optimize it.  Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, or simply someone looking to optimize your daily life, the insights gained from self-tracking can help you identify areas for improvement and make changes accordingly.

    Improved Health/Performance

    Tracking health metrics can help you develop a greater understanding of your body and how it functions, leading to better overall health and well-being.  By monitoring your vital signs and other health metrics, you may be able to detect potential health issues early on, allowing for timely intervention and treatment.  Once a baseline is established, you can manage existing conditions or monitor how various interventions impact you directly.

    Community

    The Quantified Self movement is a thriving community of individuals who are passionate about self-improvement and innovation. By becoming involved, you can connect with like-minded people and learn from their experiences and insights.  The Quantified Self movement is at the forefront of innovation in health and technology, with new tools and solutions emerging regularly. By participating, you can be among the first to experience and benefit from these advancements.

    How To Quantify Your Self

    So how do you go about quantifying yourself?  I’ll enumerate the steps that I think are most important given the current state of things.

    Identify Goals

    The best first step in my opinion is to be clear on ‘why’ you’re doing this.  Are you managing an existing condition? Is there an area of your life that you are trying to improve?  Identifying clear goal(s) in the beginning will help ease both the ‘burden of tracking’ and the ‘burden of analysis’.

    Prioritize the Data Points

    The next step is to identify and prioritize the data that you want to track.  You should have a clear idea on how these datapoints tie into your goals.

    Develop a Storage Plan

    Next, you need to create a plan for how you are going to store your data.  You also need to think about how you are going to analyze this data after it’s collected and be sure that your storage plan supports this.  You should have an idea of how you can get all your data out if you’re relying on a 3rd party system.

    As someone who’s completely invested in the Android ecosystem, my choice has become Google Health Connect.  Google Health Connect is a platform that allows users to centralize and manage their health and fitness data from various apps and devices. It aims to streamline the process of tracking and monitoring personal health information, making it easier for individuals to gain insights into their well-being.  There is also a defined extension method.  This makes it easy for me to develop apps that integrate with Google Health Connect both for entering and analyzing data.

    Identify Collection Methods

    Now that you have an idea of what data you want to collect and how you want to store it, you can narrow down which devices/software support both of these decisions.  Because of its ubiquity in the Android/Google ecosystem, this is another reason why I leaned toward using Google Health Connect as my data storage mechanism.  Almost every device or app that I would conceivably use is already integrated.

    Start Collecting Data!

    It’s time to let the data start streaming in!  At this point, start playing around with your analytics mechanism(s) to make sure that everything looks good.  It’s important to establish a good looking baseline before trying to make decisions based on your data.

    Iterate/Experiment

    Chances are, the first pass through these steps, you’ll find something that doesn’t quite look right and/or isn’t working.  Go back through all these steps until you have everything working in a way that allows you to establish your baseline metrics.  Once you get to this point, it’s a great time to start focusing on improvement or add more datapoints!

    Tracking Health Metrics

    I track a lot of datapoints.  Despite this, there are a handful of areas that I feel are most important to keep regular tabs on because of how easy it is to influence them with everything that you do.  I’ll also discuss how I monitor each of these.

    Sleep

    I keep becoming more and more convinced that sleep is the cornerstone of our health and wellbeing.  It is essential for physical and mental restoration.  I’m mostly concerned with my sleep duration and the amount of time I spend in REM/Deep sleep.  Another good indicator is your resting heart rate while sleeping.  I use the Oura ring to monitor all of these things.

    Activity and Movement

    It’s important to regularly move your body.  I started just by tracking daily steps and trying to adhere to a goal every day.  Eventually, I created a more rigorous workout program to keep me progressing with my body weight workout routine.  Most recently, I’ve set more detailed goals around cardio, identifying the minimal amount of time per week that I want to spend in each heart rate zone.  For me, the FitBit works great for tracking all of these things.

    Blood Work

    I get a full blood panel done at least every 6 months.  There are a ton of biomarkers that I consider crucial and I use InsideTracker to manage this because they include almost all of them.  I would love to see better Google Health Connect integration here because I currently copy this data into MyQuest and SelfDecode in order to make the best use of the data.

    Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

    HRV is a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. It’s a powerful indicator of your body’s ability to adapt to stress and recover.  I use this as a measure of determining when I should ‘push’ myself during a workout, etc.  Several devices I use track HRV, but I use the data from the Oura ring most.

    Body Composition

    I tell people all the time that losing weight isn’t always a good thing.  While I definitely track my weight, more important to me is knowing the specifics of my actual body composition.  I want to always be losing mostly body fat while preserving lean mass/muscle.  The only way to guarantee that you’re doing this while losing weight is by keeping tabs on your body composition.  I use a Withings scale to do this.

    Nutrition

    This is an area where the ‘burden of tracking’ is still real.  I’d like to do much more here, but the tools just aren’t quite there yet.  I haven’t found an accurate caloric and macronutrient tracking solution that I feel is worth spending the time on.  The reliable data that I collect here consists of a few things:

    • Use the Zero app to track the time that I spend ‘fasting’.  This allows me to look at how fasting impacts bloodwork measures and body composition.
    • Use the Oura app to track when I take/stop taking supplements.  I use this to define experiment boundaries so I can see how everything else is impacted during that time.
    • Occasionally use a CGM and the Levels app to identify how foods/behaviors impact my glucose response.

    Mindfulness

    Another measurement that I’m looking to expand upon is in tracking my mindfulness state.  Currently, I use the Oura ring and app to track meditation and breathwork sessions.  This takes on a form of heart rate variability training, but anything that decreases my body temp, resting heart rate and breaths per minute is a win for me.  I’ve been investigating picking up a Muse headband to start tracking brain wave state while doing this.  Has anyone used the Muse device?  I’m interested in hearing about it if you have.

    Conclusion

    The Quantified Self movement has come a long way since its inception.  With the availability of more user-friendly technology and a growing community of enthusiasts, it’s easier than ever to get started with tracking health metrics.  As the movement continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative ways to use data to optimize our lives and achieve our goals.  Remember, the key to success lies not in the technology itself, but in how you apply these tools to your daily life. Embrace the power of the Quantified Self and start optimizing your health and performance today!

  • Improving HRV

    Improving HRV

    I was introduced to heart rate variability (HRV) when I got serious about getting in shape.  Many people recommended monitoring HRV as a means of knowing when to push a workout further.  My HRV has always been low relative to others.  Despite this, it was clear that I always felt my best when it was at the higher end of my regular range.  Pretty much since this realization, I’ve been experimenting with various ways of improving HRV.

    What is HRV?

    Heart Rate Variability is a measure of the changes in the amount of time between beats of your heart.  It is often measured in milliseconds.  This number is highly individual.  It’s not something that can really be compared across individuals.  Its only use is in comparing your current value to your historical range of HRV values.

    How is HRV measured?

    HRV changes as a natural function of the autonomic nervous system.  The sympathetic nervous system decreases the amount of time between heartbeats due to a faster heartbeat.  The parasympathetic, which typically slows the heart beat, increases that time.  Many modern wearables are capable of measuring HRV.  There are different techniques for doing this, so always compare values using the same form of measurement.  HRV changes throughout the day and it’s best to measure while in a rested and relaxed state.

    What Does HRV Indicate?

    In general, a higher HRV is better than a lower value.  HRV is a good indicator of how ‘recovered’ someone is.  When you are in your higher range of values, you are likely to be in a state where you are more resilient to stressors.  Lower range values are a good sign that something is actively stressing your body.

    HRV provides an interesting way to evaluate lifestyle choices that can lead toward a healthier life.  Things that increase HRV tend to lead to overall healthier outcomes.  A downward trend in HRV over a few days is often a sign that it’s time to reevaluate what you are currently doing.  We can use this metric to identify opportunities for us to continue pushing ourselves as well as an indication that we need to take a break.

    How am I Improving HRV?

    The feedback loop that HRV provides is a great quantitative way to measure the effectiveness of health oriented interventions.  I’ve been using this as the basis for many experiments over the years on improving HRV.  Many ways of raising HRV involve dedication to a regular practice.  This is expected given that improving HRV is generally correlated with prioritizing good life choices.   Things that I’ve found that have improved my HRV include:

    Regular Exercise

    Obviously having a regular exercise routine is going to benefit your overall cardiovascular metrics.  HRV may take a hit while you’re exercising, but overtime, exercise (especially HIIT) results in an overall higher HRV.

    Circadian Rhythm Alignment

    Waking up, going to sleep and eating that aligns with the daily rhythms of the sun does wonders for improving HRV.

    Time in Nature

    I discovered this by accident.  I always noticed that my HRV was always higher for a few days after a backpacking trip.  Initially, I attributed this to the fact that backpacking is great exercise.  I’ve since done additional experiments that show that I have a positive HRV trend just from sleeping in nature without the actual exercise associated with backpacking.

    Breathwork

    A regular breathwork practice generally leads to less stress.  Less stress tends to translate into a higher HRV.  There are also certain forms of breathing that can directly raise HRV in the moment.  I describe some of these techniques in my intro to breathwork.

    Regular Mindfulness/Gratitude Practice

    Once again, practicing mindfulness and/or gratitude tends to lower your overall stress.  This also is noticeable at improving HRV.  Not all forms of mindfulness that I practice involves active breathwork or time in nature, so this deserves a section on its own.

    Photobiomodulation

    It’s not clear what the mechanism of action is here, but I’ve tried several variants of photobiomodulation that all seem to be effective at improving HRV.  It could be the fact that red light therapy is useful for combating Seasonal Affective Disorder, but maybe it’s something else?

    Gut Microbiome

    I recently participated in an Akkermansia trial.  During the trail, I tracked a consistent >10% increase in my HRV after the first few days of taking it. I’ve seen very few things that have such a profound positive effect.   After the trial ended, my HRV went back to my previous baseline.  I’m waiting for the product I was taking during the trial to be commercially available so I can purchase it.  Given recent studies that are identifying links between the gut microbiome and things like anxiety/depression, the mechanism of action for this impact creates some interesting hypotheses.  I look forward to trying additional experiments in this area.

    Wearables

    In addition to wearables for tracking HRV, I’ve tried one that was actually effective at improving HRV.  Regularly using the Apollo Neuro consistently raised my HRV.  This was most noticeable when I did something that would typically lower my HRV.  If you want to know the good, the bad and the ugly, read my Apollo Neuro Review.

    Things that Lower HRV

    All of these health improving practices are great for improving HRV.  It may be obvious that not adhering to these has the opposite effects, but there are even a few other things that negatively impact HRV.

    Aging

    In general, your HRV lowers with age.  Many of the practices that I’ve adopted for improving HRV have allowed me to move my baseline HRV higher even though I’ve been meticulously tracking these values for more than 7 years.

    Mental/Physical Stress

    A hard workout will lower HRV in the moment even though regular exercise will eventually move it in the opposite direction.  The same can be said for the hot temperatures of the sauna.  Maybe the not so obvious HRV lowerer is mental stress.  When I have a few days of anxiety inducing stress it is definitely reflected in a lower HRV score.

    Ongoing or Impending Illness

    An impending or ongoing illness will result in lower HRV scores.  I’ve participated in two separate wearable trials working on identifying impending illness before noticeable symptoms develop.  HRV fluctuation was one of the indicators used in both of these trials.

    Poor Sleep

    Circadian Rhythm misalignment and poor quality sleep in general immediately result in lower HRV the next day.  I’ve noticed that ‘shift work’ has a negative impact even if I get good quality sleep.

    Alcohol

    By far, the habit that I have that has had the worst impact on HRV is alcohol.  Even a drink or two close to bed will have a noticeable detrimental impact.

    Conclusion

    These are just a few of the things that I’ve noticed that have an impact on HRV for me.  There are so many other things that I plan to investigate and I will update this post with my findings.

    So what do you do to improve your HRV?  What have you noticed that has a negative effect?  What device do you use to measure HRV and how do you use it to drive the decisions that you make every day?

  • Intro to Breathwork

    Breathing… we all do it.  Most of us probably don’t pay much attention to how we go about it either.  Unless you do, you probably also don’t realize that some subtle awareness when it comes to your breathwork practice can likely make a radical difference in your day to day health.  I was the same way, until I started researching the subject.  After years of doing so, I slowly incorporated some simple techniques that have changed my mind considerably.  If this is of interest to you, read on for my intro to breathwork.

    My Intro to Breathwork Journey

    I’ve had an on again/off again relationship with meditation and yoga my whole life.  Long time practitioners of both always talk extensively about “paying attention to the breath”.  Early on, I never really put much stock into this.  I associated this with the more ‘woo’ side of the practice without any real scientific basis.  My opinion of this started to change after looking for effective ways of reducing my stress while working in a high strung corporate environment.  My first success in using breathwork for this came from a Navy SEAL friend of mine.  He introduced me to Box Breathing (described below) and subjectively, this seemed to allow me to more easily fall asleep on high stress evenings.

    Eventually, as part of that same high strung corporate environment, I often traveled to India.  On the weekends while I was there, I would travel the country with my co workers and take in many of the experiences associated with traveling to India.  This often involved going to Ayurvedic retreats and temples throughout the country, participating in yogic and meditative rituals.  This exposed me to Pranayama.  This practice defines several different techniques for breathing that are meant to induce different types of changes in the body.  At this point, the focus on breathwork while meditating and doing yoga started to make much more sense.

    I was exposed to all of this before I started using the Oura ring.  With the first generation of Oura, it was easy to see the impact of box breathing on my sleep.  The moment that Oura rolled out it’s mediation support, I started to use it with different dedicated breathing techniques.  It was honestly surprising to see how effective some of them were in terms of impacting heart rate and HRV.

    Scientific Basis

    When I started to really dig into this, I came across numerous studies that laid the groundwork for a very scientific basis for many breathwork practices.  Breathing is actually more about regulating Carbon Dioxide (CO2) than oxygenating the blood.  We strive to maintain our CO2 levels in the blood within a very narrow range.  The brain interprets a low oxygen state as a threat and it activates the sympathetic nervous system as a result.  CO2 is also acidic, so the CO2/oxygen balance has direct effects on the blood’s pH.  Taking steps to rebalance these levels does the opposite and results in an overall calming effect.

    In addition to the effects related to blood oxygenation, more research has shown that diaphragmatic breathing (slow abdominal based breathing) directly stimulates the vagus nerve.  This instantly puts you into a more parasympathetic state.  Vagus nerve stimulation has also been tied to improvements in Heart Rate Variability (HRV).  Additionally, heart rate is directly tied to breathing.  This phenomenon is referred to as Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) and directly impacts blood pressure.

    Understanding these basic concepts is the key to using controlled breathwork to achieve different desired states.  Hear are a few things to keep in mind:

    • Slow breathing, especially from the diaphragm stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and tends to be more relaxing.
    • Fast breathing and chest breathing tends to increase CO2 levels resulting in a sympathetic nervous system response.  This can energize, but also promotes anxiety.
    • Breath Holds increase C02 levels
    • Emphasizing inhales increases heart rate (and often blood pressure)
    • Emphasizing exhales decreases heart rate (and often blood pressure)

    Proper Breathing Technique

    Many people underestimate the importance of breathing ‘correctly’. The hurried modern life and other stressors have an extremely negative impact on how people breathe and most don’t even realize it. If you don’t currently have awareness regarding how you breathe on a regular basis and aren’t prioritizing doing something about it, you will be amazed at how quickly doing so can change the way you feel. There are many breathing techniques that you can use to address many different goals that you may have, but most modern americans are stuck in a continuous stress state. Even moving into a ‘rest and digest’ state a few times a day can have a profound positive impact on your health.

    Based on the information presented so far, the ideal every day breathing technique would seem to be a reasonably slow, diaphragmatic breath.  I’ll add one more rule of thumb that should be followed: breath through the nose.  Not only does breathing through the nose help filter out pollutants, virii, etc.  It helps warm cold air before it hits the lungs.  Additionally, it’s important in order to effectively get nitric oxide into our systems.  Take a look around you and see how many people are actually breathing this way.  Even though, this will generally be the best way to breath, different types of breathwork are designed to achieve certain temporary responses.

    Types of Breathwork

    There are many types of breathwork and I’m always learning more.  This list below are the ones that I actively use.  I briefly explain how to do the technique and why I personally do them.

    Box Breathing

    This was the type of breathwork that started it all for me.  I started doing it as a way to immediately calm myself but I’ve since found that it’s also very effective for getting into a state of focus.  It’s super effective even after doing it for a few minutes and it’s very easy for beginners to learn.  Box breathing starts by expelling all air from your lungs.  Stay in this ’empty’ state for a count of 4.  Now inhale through your nose for a count of four.  Hold for a count of four.  Finally, exhale through your nose again for a count of 4.  This is one cycle of Box Breathing.  Repeat for 2 to 5 minutes and enjoy your state of calm focus!

    4-7-8 Breathing

    My success with Box Breathing lead me to discover 4-7-8 Breathing.  Box Breathing before bed, sometimes had the unfortunate side affect of making me more focused on things that I needed to do tomorrow, etc.  This wasn’t helping me get the sleep that had initially hoped this breathwork practice would provide. This breathwork technique is a form of diaphragmatic breathing that involves inhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds.  The longer breath hold combined with the longer exhale is what makes this an even more relaxing technique compared to Box Breathing.  Again, repeating this for a few minutes is all that is needed to achieve a dramatically more relaxed state.

    Physiological Sigh

    The physiological sigh is the easiest way to instantly remove anxiety.  It’s also super easy to do.  Just two rapid inhales through the nose and then an extended exhale through the mouth.  One of these works wonders, but do this a few times to really feel the impact.

    Nadi Shodhana

    Nadi Shodhana (also known as alternate nostril breathing) is a great centering practice and one that I often do while meditating in the sauna.  It can be relaxing and it also increases focus.  Studies have shown that left nostril breathing slows down heart rate and decreases blood pressure. These same studies indicate that right nostril breathing increases both heart rate and blood pressure.  Pranayama’s practice of Nadi Shodhana incorporates asanas and the Vishnu Mudra, but it can be done by just simply doing the following:

    • Use the thumb on your right hand to block your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril
    • Close your left nostril with your index finger and briefly hold
    • Open your right nostril and exhale slowly and then immediately inhale
    • Close your right nostril again and briefly hold
    • Open your left nostril and exhale slowly

    This is one cycle.  From this point you can repeat many times.  You can also add holds on exhale or combine this technique with Box Breathing for added effects.

    Kapalabhati Breathing

    Kapalabhati is another classic Pranayama.  It is also known as “Skull Shining Breath”.  This is considered a purifying breathwork technique.  It involves alternating active, explosive diaphragmatic exhales with a longer passive inhale.  This is an energizing technique, so not something you would want to do when you’re trying to relax/go to sleep.  I use this as a form of Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) that doesn’t require a device.  RMT has been shown to increase cardio athletic performance and VO2 max.  Be careful with this!  It’s common that new practitioners are in pain the next day because they are using muscles that they are not used to using.

    Wim Hof Method

    While the full Wim Hof Method also incorporates meditation and cold exposure as core tenants, the breathing method is also very effective when used alone.  This technique is closely related to Holotropic breathwork.  It is basically a form of controlled hyperventilation.  Hyperventilation has been shown to slow down the default mode network.  This form of breathing is extremely powerful and I use it as a general ‘reset’.  In my experience, I feel an extended state of bliss for days after practicing this.  When properly done, this technique really shows the range of what you can accomplish with breathwork.

    Conclusion

    There are so many different types of breathwork!  These are a few that I use all the time.  I wish I had familiarity with these longer than I have.  I feel strongly that some of these basic techniques should be taught early in schools and/or be added to every parents’ tool box.  It could really make a huge difference in the mental health of our children to have an effective means of reducing stress/anxiety that they can carry with them wherever they go.  Are you a breathwork advocate?  Are you using a technique that I haven’t covered here?  Let me know in the comments!