The Oxygen Advantage: The Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques for a Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter You

by Patrick McKeown

  I may not be an athlete, but I can closely relate to the process of thinking so much that your thoughts consume you. As a sixteen-year-old boy from a Catholic background, educated in an all-boys school, I was particularly shy when it came to talking to girls. From time to time, a very attractive blond girl would take the same bus as me to school. I longed for a conversation with this girl, dreaming about what I would say, nervous that she would rebuke my advances. On one particular day she sat right next to me, and while my heart thumped out of my chest, no words could come out of my mouth. I was completely tongue-tied in a sea of doubt and sat the whole ten-mile journey in silence. I had built up the moment into something so big, so monumental, that it scared the life out of me. In hindsight, all I really wanted to do was strike up a conversation, to say hello and ask her how school was going, to ask whom she hung out with, and maybe talk about our favorite music. It was all very innocent, but overthinking created a task of gigantic proportions, almost as if I were planning to ask the girl to marry me.

  With experience and confidence we learn how to deal better with situations like this, but by persisting in overthinking every action, we add unnecessary hurdles to the path to success. There is no doubt that had I thought less about striking up a conversation with the girl, it would have happened naturally and easily when the situation arose.

  Although a certain amount of stress helps to keep us focused, too much thinking, anxiety, and apprehension about what can go wrong can cause a loss of concentration on the game. The night before a big event you may find yourself lying in bed ruminating on every possible scenario, while in reality a deep sleep is really what you need to secure a good performance the following day. There is a time for planning, and it is more likely to be effective when you are able to focus on it productively. Pregame warm-ups, drills, rehearsals, and discussions of tactics can help to reduce stress and iron out uncertainties, but lying awake worrying about what might go wrong will only cause more self-doubt and potentially ruin your concentration on the day.

  It is important to consistently monitor the effectiveness of your thinking. When you begin to notice the same thoughts creeping into your head for the umpteenth time, ask yourself whether these thoughts are actually serving a purpose. Are they helpful for devising a strategy or addressing the situation? Or are they keeping you on a merry-go-round of insanity? Questioning the usefulness of your thinking allows you to determine which thoughts are useful and which are negative and repetitive. Even though you may not be able to prevent these thoughts from occurring, you can learn to reduce them by quieting your mind and bringing your attention to the breath in between bouts of overthinking. Later, if you feel the need to think a little more about whatever is bothering you, spend a few minutes indulging your thoughts before merging back with the quietness of the breath. Alternating between thinking and quietness creates space between thoughts to allow fresh ideas to surface. The thoughts that emerge after the silence of meditation can be very powerful, creative, and intuitive, and may naturally provide you with the solution to your worries. The same process of course applies to daily life.

  Practicing meditation and achieving a quiet mind are extremely valuable techniques for athletes, or anyone who suffers from anxiety, enabling you to reduce your inner commentary and focus on what’s important. To reduce prematch apprehension and nerves, you will need to approach the game from a different mind-set. Participate in your sport solely for the experience, because you enjoy it. When your only wish is to experience the game or the individual shot, swing, or race, there is no ulterior motive. This doesn’t mean that you will simply be going through the motions—no, not at all. When you are playing or running or shooting or cycling solely for the experience, your mind will be undivided and a state of intense alertness will ensue. In this state, you will be at the top of your game.

  At first, make a commitment to really experience your sport during training sessions, where there is nothing to lose. Fully experience your sport by dispersing your attention throughout your entire body and getting in touch with your senses. In time, you will feel comfortable “experiencing” your sport regardless of the level of competition, allowing muscle memory to ensure a smooth and effortless performance.

  Make it a priority to occupy your body with your full attention and experience the aliveness of your entire body. During a race, follow your instincts and your natural rhythm, letting muscle memory decide on the course of action: how far to stay back, when to overtake, what move to make next. Before taking a penalty kick or another game-changing action, focus on your breathing and use the breath as an anchor to your inner body.

  Whenever you find your mind ruminating about an upcoming event, immediately bring your attention to your breath or inner body. If you are trying too hard to win, psyching yourself out about the outcome, worrying about your competitors and past failures, or spending too much time analyzing every potential move, your mind will be divided and you will lose focus.

  Improve Brain Oxygenation

  It is perfectly normal for athletes to be nervous before competition. But while a little nervousness keeps us alert, too much may induce hyperventilation, which reduces oxygenation of the brain. You might not be sitting for an exam, but without a doubt, mental alertness, concentration, and normal cognitive functioning are prerequisites for good performance.

  In addition to following the breath and occupying your inner body with your attention, the following Breathing Recovery Exercise is very helpful in calming the mind during the days and nights leading up to competition. When stressed, hold your breath! It is also helpful for recovering from physical exercise and increasing your BOLT score. Having a high BOLT score will help negate the effects of nervousness.

  Perform a series of small breath holds following these instructions:

  • Take a small, silent breath in and out through your nose.

  • Hold your breath for 2 to 5 seconds.

  • After each breath hold, breathe normally for around 10 seconds. Do not interfere with your breathing.

  • Continue to do a small breath hold followed by normal breathing for around 10 seconds.

  • Practice this exercise for at least 15 minutes.

  Having a BOLT score of less than 20 seconds during rest indicates chronic overbreathing. To attain optimum performance in terms of breathing efficiency, cardiovascular health, and delivery of oxygen to tissues and organs, a BOLT score of at least 40 seconds is necessary. Researchers have observed that hyperventilation significantly affects mental performance as well as physical capabilities. A study investigating unexplainable aircraft accidents tested the abilities of jet fighter pilots to use coordination apparatus after a short period of breathing too much. The results showed that mental performance deteriorated by 15 to 30 percent when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood was significantly reduced. Another study found that when hyperventilation reduces arterial concentration of carbon dioxide, physiological changes occur in the brain, causing dizziness and concentration problems. Researchers discovered that reduced levels of carbon dioxide detrimentally affected performance that required attention, causing progressively slower reaction times and an increase in errors.

  The symptoms of hyperventilation and anxiety are similar and have been found to be linked in some cases. A study from the department of psychology and statistics at the University at Albany in New York found that students with high anxiety had lower levels of carbon dioxide and a faster respiration frequency than students with low anxiety. The results of this study are not surprising when you consider the effects of hyperventilation: dizziness, headaches, chest pains, and light-headedness. Is it the anxiety that is causing hyperventilation, or is it hyperventilation that is causing the anxiety? As we already know, hyperventilation reduces the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. This leads to a narrowing of blood vessels and reduced delivery of oxygen to the brain. An oxygen-deprived brain is more excitable and agitated, and as it floods with self-generated thou
ghts, anxiety kicks in. One contributes to the other, creating a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle.

  I vividly remember attending one of my final exams at Trinity College in Dublin. In an effort to relax, I took a brief walk before the exam, during which I took several big breaths through my mouth. I was already a heavy breather and the additional big breaths brought on light-headedness and dizziness. Little did I know that my anxiety and deliberate attempts to take deep “calming” breaths were actually depriving my brain of oxygen—not an ideal recipe when total alertness and concentration are required. Often this is an unconscious activity that athletes do without even realizing it. However, the vast majority of athletes also feel that taking big breaths is beneficial. The belief is there, but they are not always aware of practicing it. Overbreathing is never the answer to improving performance, and adequate oxygenation of the brain is required if you are to fulfill your true potential.

  Quality Sleep for Performance

  To help maintain a calm and concentrated mind, you must experience good-quality sleep at all times, particularly during the period leading up to an exam, performance, or competition. Having a BOLT score of less than 20 seconds and breathing through the mouth during sleep may result in many of the following symptoms:

  • Snoring

  • Sleep apnea (holding your breath many times throughout the night)

  • Disrupted sleep

  • Insomnia

  • A racing mind

  • Nightmares

  • Sweating

  • Needing to use the bathroom at around 5 or 6 A.M.

  • A dry mouth upon waking

  • Brain fog upon waking

  • Fatigue first thing in the morning

  • Fatigue during the day

  • Poor concentration

  • Upper or lower respiratory complaints

  Mouth breathing during sleep creates a considerable loss of carbon dioxide while also bypassing the benefits of nitric oxide, culminating in a reduction of morning BOLT score. The solution to better breathing at night is to Breathe Light to Breathe Right during the day and especially before sleep. To reduce and eventually eliminate breathing through the mouth at night, follow these guidelines:

  • Avoid eating within the 2 hours before sleep, as the process of digestion increases breathing.

  • Keep your bedroom cool and airy (but not cold). A hot and stuffy room will only serve to increase breathing.

  • Sleep on your front or left side; sleeping on your back is by far the worst position, as there is no restriction to your breathing.

  • Ensure that your mouth is closed while you try to get to sleep (you can wear 1-inch Micropore tape across the lips as described in chapter 3 to help ensure this).

  • A most important practice to discourage heavy breathing at night is to Breathe Light to Breathe Right for 15 to 20 minutes before going to sleep. This exercise is especially good for calming the mind and helping you to experience deep sleep during the nights leading up to competition.

  PART III

  The Secret of Health

  CHAPTER 9

  Rapid Weight Loss Without Dieting

  For many weekend warriors, the motivation to exercise is to shed a few extra pounds for better health, a boost of self-confidence, and that feel-good factor. There is no doubt that exercise is a good route to improved health and weight loss, but it addresses only half of the story. Weight loss occurs only when the amount of calories we burn is greater than the amount we consume. In addition to keeping an eye on the pedometer, we also need to stand back from the table. This is where many people fail, ending up on a yo-yo diet of weight loss followed by weight gain in a never-ending cycle of frustration.

  For over a decade I have witnessed hundreds of people achieve a safe method of appetite suppression leading to steady, effective weight loss using breath reduction techniques. Weight loss for these individuals varied from 2 to 6 pounds within just two weeks. In addition, people often found themselves to be eating more heathfully with less desire for processed food and more demand for water. What’s more, this weight loss and change to better eating habits occurred easily and without effort. In many cases weight loss was actually a secondary benefit, as most participants were applying the breathing exercises to remedy asthma, anxiety, or snoring. The only instruction they were given with regard to their diet was to eat when hungry and stop when satisfied.

  When Eamon entered his fifties, he tipped the scales at more than 260 pounds. Ireland was going through a rough time economically, and Eamon’s business was not doing very well. The increased stress of trying to steer his business back on track led him to eat and drink more than ever before. Nearly every night he headed down to his local pub to meet with friends and drown his sorrows. Within two years, Eamon was diagnosed with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

  For years, Eamon had lived a comfortable life in good health. As a younger man he played sports and exercised regularly. Now he found himself caught in a vicious circle of feeling low and despondent, unable to focus and unable to get his business or health back on track. Following the untimely passing of a close friend, Eamon decided that he had enough and said to himself, “I’ve got to change my life.” This was his wake-up call.

  When Eamon contacted me to help reduce his stress levels, he was desperate to improve his situation: “My business has me totally stressed out, I’m not sleeping at night and can’t even think straight.” My main focus was to help him get back to good health by retraining his breathing. With an increase in energy and concentration, the rest would follow.

  Eamon’s starting BOLT score was just 8 seconds, and he displayed traits of someone dealing with stress and anxiety: taking large breaths from the upper chest and sighing regularly. Eamon’s first steps were to learn how to breathe through his nose day and night, to take time out to relax and meditate, and to practice the Breathe Light to Breathe Right exercise. Stress was the main issue to be resolved, and learning how to still the mind was an essential part of addressing his other symptoms.

  For people with diabetes and high blood pressure, it is important to go slowly and gently when practicing reduced breathing exercises, so as not to put additional pressure on the body. Reducing breathing commonly leads to a reduction of blood sugar levels, and while this is a good thing, decreasing levels too quickly is not. As Eamon’s BOLT score increased, both his diabetes and high blood pressure medications were reduced accordingly by his doctor. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, it’s important to consult your medical professional before embarking on a reduced breathing program.

  Eamon’s regimen was as follows:

  • Perform 10 minutes of Breathe Light to Breathe Right (page 74), 4 times per day, with 1 session just before bed and 1 just after waking.

  • Stop and observe the breath for 1 to 2 minutes at various times throughout the day to further reduce overthinking.

  • Tape the mouth closed before retiring to sleep to ensure nasal breathing at night.

  • Practice the Breathing Recovery Exercise (page 91) whenever he felt anxious or stressed.

  • Walk with the mouth closed for 30 minutes daily.

  • Pay attention to appetite and eat only when hungry.

  • Reduce alcohol consumption to no more than 2 servings of alcohol each night for the first week. From week 2, reduce drinking to every other night.

  From the start, Eamon questioned whether these techniques were actually going to work. They flew in the face of everything he had been told to date—well-meaning stress counselors had encouraged him to take deep breaths—and reducing his breathing seemed like the opposite of what he needed.

  During our first consultation, Eamon practiced the Breathing Recovery Exercise of holding his breath for 5 seconds, followed by normal breathing for 10 seconds. He continued this for about 5 minutes before taking a rest. Following the Breathing Recovery Exercise I asked Eamon to place his hands on his chest and abdomen, and to apply gentle pressure
with his hands to slow down his breathing and create a light air shortage. He practiced Breathe Light to Breathe Right for 3 minutes. Despite experiencing a mild urge for air, within minutes he started to feel tension lifting from his head. I’m pretty sure this was the turning point for Eamon. Breathing light had improved his blood flow and body oxygenation after just a couple of minutes—assuring him that this was indeed the way forward.

  From then on I saw Eamon each week for a month. His BOLT score made steady progress, and by the fourth week it had increased to 27 seconds. His sleep was far better, leaving him feeling more alert upon waking, and he experienced a tremendous improvement to his well-being. Eamon’s high blood pressure and blood sugar levels also reduced, while his doctor observed his progress and altered his medication as required.