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  • Breath

  • The New Science of a Lost Art
  • By: James Nestor
  • Narrated by: James Nestor
  • Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,566 ratings)

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Breath

By: James Nestor
Narrated by: James Nestor
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin. Narrated by James Nestor.

There is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

The answers aren't found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo, Brazil. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe.

Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, halt snoring, allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease, and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is.

Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head.

You will never breathe the same again.

©2020 James Nestor (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"A transformative book that changes how you think about your body and mind." (Josua Foer, author of Moonwalking with Einstein)

"Who would have thought something as simple as changing the way we breathe could be so revolutionary for our health, from snoring to allergies to immunity? A fascinating book, full of dazzling revelations." (Dr Rangan Chatterjee)

"I highly recommend this book." (Wim Hof)

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What listeners say about Breath

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    5 out of 5 stars

this book has changed my life!

I finally managed to get restful sleep over many years, while tracking my sleep with Oura ring and sleeping in perfect condition at 18C, 40% humidity, having fixed bedtime and wake-up, without eating anything prior sleeping for 3 hours and dimming the lights and blocking out all the blue wavelengths, eating healthy and having very fit body I still had a very low restfulness score, tossing and turning throughout the night! Just by applying simple hack of taping middle of my lips shut with a postmark sized tape piece I woke up in the morning completely recovered and full of energy and enthusiasm which I last felt many years ago, and breathing through the nose in the morning has never felt better. Thank you again for this masterpiece. If there is one book to improve your health and wellbeing this is it.

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36 people found this helpful

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didn't feel like a non fiction book

Absolutley addicting book to listen to. James has done a great job reading it too.

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fundamental and fascinating

An excellent book based on research, self-experimentation, insight and a dash of self-deprecating humour. The benefits of breathing through your nose and the detriments of mouth breathing couldn't be clearer. Every breath I take... this book is watching me... and I can already feel the benefits. Great work James Nestor!

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15 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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great book if you have anxiety or sleep problems

Have been struggling with bad sleep for a few years now which I was aware was coming from stress/ anxiety. When I'm stressed i feel a tightness in the chest and it's been such a relief to find a book with a great story, information, narration, and very practical advice on reversing that tight anxious, out of breath feeling which also was ruining my sleep. Many thanks for this book James Nestor

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12 people found this helpful

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Excellent insight - breathe only through your nose

The anthropological research is fascinating. The book gives an excellent analysis and practical suggestions for improving our quality of life through better breathing habits. In short, learn to breathe slowly, deeply, only through the nose, and try for some breaks between the inhale and exhale as well. There are numerous variations to experiment with, to find what suits you best and in what context.

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11 people found this helpful

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Life changing

Along with Mathew Walker’s Why We Sleep, this book should be a must read for everyone!

You’ll never breathe the same. That’s all I can say.

Beautifully written and read. Very engaging, informative and inspiring.

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11 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Ian
  • 05-12-2020

Interesting but falls short

This was a really interesting book and I will search more of James online. I’ve listened 3 times. Unfortunately it doesn’t deliver on the helpful. Apart from mouth taping and wearing nasal strips to open the nostrils at night which I am now doing, there are few take away. I’m now doing Wim Hof breathing but new about this before buying this book. Anders tells how to do various breathing methods at the end of the book, but you are still left wondering...

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9 people found this helpful

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Great book for complementing health practices.

James Nestor does a great job in explaining his own experiences with breathing as well as the history and science behind different breathing practices.
Personally, I'm constantly looking for new methods and good habits to incorporate in my life, so this book will help me to improve one of the many areas I might be neglecting.
The breathing practices in the final section is worthwhile because there is someone guiding you through the excersices, so better doing the audiobook format.

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8 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Deeply unpleasant at times

I couldn’t deal with the monkey experiments mentioned. Don’t read if you’re extremely sensitive to animal cruelty. The author warns that they’re cruel, but it’s not what I expect to hear when reading a self-help book about breathing.

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6 people found this helpful

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  • Mel
  • 29-07-2020

It will change your life

A very important and interesting book on the most important thing you can do for your health. I found this book very informative, interesting and exciting. Can’t wait to continue to train my breath and reap the benefits.

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6 people found this helpful

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