Patrick McKeown: Live Better by Breathing Less

Is there such a thing as breathing too much? Yes! And if you’re doing it through your mouth, that’s much worse.

In this latest episode of the Align Podcast, world-renowned breathing expert Patrick McKeown explains why you should stop breathing through your mouth and start taking slow, light breaths through your nose. One huge reason for this is that nasal breathing will drastically improve your sleep, attention and memory, calm your mind, and reduce your stress almost instantly.

Do you notice how anxiety makes your breathing fast and shallow, which only reinforces your suffering? That's mostly because of dysfunctional breathing patterns you’re not even aware of.

Here, Patrick gives tips on how to stay calm and collected in stressful situations by controlling our breath. His focus is not in deep breaths but in the gaps between those breaths. Also, we cover the healing effects of nasal breathing on COVID and asthma patients, the dangers of mouth breathing in kids, and how tongue posture affects your gait and appearance.

Patrick McKeown is a best-selling author and leading expert on the topic of optimal breathing for improved health and fitness. He has written 8 books, including top sellers "Close Your Mouth" and "Asthma Free Naturally". His latest book, "Atomic Focus,” is packed with science-proven breathing techniques that help people achieve the highest level of focus they need to succeed.

What we discuss:

6:00 - The secret to staying calm in stressful situations lies in your breath

12:30 - The harmful effects of mouth breathing in children

23:00 - Why solving the mental health crisis starts with addressing sleep disordered breathing

30:00 - Stimulate your vagus nerve through this breathing technique

35:30 - 6 Tongue Exercises to boost brain function

44:15 - Why you should start breathing less and slow, not fast and shallow

50:43 - How nasal breathing improves your focus and memory

53:40 - Self-actualization begins with deep sleep and correct breathing patterns

56:00 - Microcosmic Orbit: Harnessing strength and energy from your tongue

59:00 - How are your tongue position, gait, and posture related?

Learn more from Patrick McKeown: