Breathing Smarter

TRAVEL: Our favorite places in Portland, OR

By: breathingsmarter October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

Our go-to’s in the west coast’s weirdest city Portland may not be as weird as it once was (thanks to a rapid influx of out-of-state expats over the past few years) but there’s still no place quite like this rainy northwestern city. Portland is home to one of the country’s largest municipal parks, as well…

Yogic Breathing: How Your Nose Can Contribute to Your Zen

By: breathingsmarter October 15, 2019October 15, 2019

WellnessLeave a Comment

At the Intake Office, we’ve been trying to practice our zen a little more. There are so many ways to do this–taking a walk on the beach, hitting up your Mindfulness app, Kondo-ing your living space–but our favorite (of course) is breathwork. If you practice yoga, you’ve probably dabbled in Pranayama, the formal practice of…

TRAVEL: Our favorite places in Santa Barbara, CA

By: breathingsmarter October 15, 2019October 15, 2019

LifestyleLeave a Comment

A Love Letter to Our Hometown of Vineyards, Coastlines, and Endless Sun When you live in the same place for a long time, it’s easy to lose sight of the reasons you love it. In the past few years, we’ve seen our home weather devastating fires, flooding, and mudslides, and it’s been a wake up…

Help Prevent Exercise-induced Asthma with Nose-only Breathing

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 14, 2019

Sciencescience, stamina and enduranceLeave a Comment

Many studies, such as this one, that compare nasal to oral breathing deduce that, during exercise, oral breathing tends to be favorable because not enough air can be inhaled through the nose. Even for those of us with physiologically “perfect” noses, nasal breathing during exercise (especially without a nasal dilator) has to be practiced in…

Balance Your Hydration Level and Body Temperature by Adjusting the Way You Breathe

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 14, 2019

Sciencescience, stamina and enduranceLeave a Comment

Our noses evolved to be our body’s air conditioners: our nasal passages humidify air and filter out particulates so that the air we inhale into our lungs is as non-irritating as possible. The internal nose alone provides 90% of the respiratory system’s air-conditioning requirement. This means that your lungs and throat have to nearly double…

Balancing Your Mood with Your Breath

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 17, 2019

Sciencescience, sharpen focusLeave a Comment

Our moods are affected by our brain and our nervous system. Studies have shown that our nose is linked to the function of our amygdala, which contributes to our ability to feel emotions and perceive them in others, and our parasympathetic nervous system, which is associated with feelings of centeredness and relaxation. When we breathe…

How Nasal Breathing Helps Improve Memory Consolidation

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 17, 2019

Sciencefeatured, scienceLeave a Comment

Researchers believe the link between nasal breathing and cognitive function has something to do with our sense of smell, which evolved as a survival sense. In a 2018 study* published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers had participants smell several different scents, and then spend a period of time either breathing through their nose or…

The Link Between Nasal Breathing and the Way We Think

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 14, 2019

Sciencefeatured, science, sharpen focusLeave a Comment

A study in the US National Library of Medicine found that cyclical nasal breathing influences cognitive function, specifically tasks performed by the hippocampus (which is responsible for processing and storing short-term memory) and the amygdala (which regulates emotions and moods). While nasal breathing is linked to better memory recall and lower levels of depression and…

Your Heart Rate, Your Circulation, and Your Breath

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 14, 2019

Sciencerecharge and recover, scienceLeave a Comment

Blood circulation is a fundamental part of your body’s overall health and resilience. Your heart pumps blood through your circulatory system, where it delivers oxygen and vital nutrients to your muscles, organs, and extremities, and promotes healthy cell growth. Even your skin benefits from increased circulation, making it more resistant to external bacteria and infections. …

Give Your Organs and Muscles a Protective Boost by Breathing Through Your Nose

By: breathingsmarter October 12, 2019October 14, 2019

Sciencefeatured, recharge and recover, scienceLeave a Comment

Vasodilation is the widening of the blood vessels and occurs naturally in the body when an increase in blood flow to muscles and issues is needed. During exercise, vasodilation has several benefits: it helps your body cool itself down, it allows oxygen to travel more quickly to your muscles and organs, and it increases blood…