Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

Two almond-shaped nodes located in the center of the temporal lobes of the brains of higher-order vertebrates, such as monkeys and humans, the amygdala helps animals make decisions and process emotions. Nestor describes several scientific studies that examine the connection between the amygdala and feelings of fear and panic.

Control system that regulates bodily functions like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and respiration, which usually functions automatically or unconsciously. Nestor describes two parts to the autonomic nervous system and its effects on the human body: (1) the parasympathetic nervous system, which stimulates relaxation and restoration using deep, soft, and slow breaths and (2) the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates action using short, shallow, and hasty breaths.

Urban explorers who spend a lot of time investigating networks of underground tunnels in Paris. A group of cataphiles brings Nestor to a catacomb filled with skeletons where he can observe firsthand the effects of industrialization on human bodies from several hundred years ago.

A cluster of neurons located at the base of the brain stem that helps humans regulate their breathing. Recent scientific studies show a close relationship between breathing and anxiety disorders. Chemoreceptor flexibility may be key to helping patients with these disorders.

A term popularized by Harvard biologist Daniel Lieberman that describes a process of adopting and passing down traits that are bad for our health. Nestor uses this concept to explain the physiological ailments that humans suffer from today.

Change in the characteristics of a species that occurs over generations. Nestor documents the evolutionary changes to human physiology over long periods of time.

Science of how the human body functions that frequently focuses on health and disease. Nestor pays close attention to how different breathing practices affect human physiology.

Refers to crooked teeth or a poor bite in which the upper and lower teeth do not line up properly. Nestor claims humans are the only mammals on the planet to routinely suffer from this condition, which he attributes to poor breathing, posture, and chewing practices.

Sanskrit term that means “life force” or “vital energy.” Nestor discusses the historical and cultural origins of prana and its relationship to breathwork.

Medical discipline that focuses on the lungs and respiratory tract. Nestor notes that pulmonologists tend to focus on specific, often emergent, problems related to the lungs, so they pay less attention to breathing techniques than pulmonauts.

A neologism coined by Nestor to describe a person who innovates with different breathing techniques to improve health and fitness outcomes. Pulmonauts often share their findings and help people with chronic maladies. In recent years, the biomedical establishment has begun to recognize their novel contributions to the field of respiratory health.

A potentially fatal sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Nestor suffers from sleep apnea during his mouth breathing experiment.

Tibetan word meaning “inner fire,” Tummo is a Breathing+ meditation that Nestor tries in the book.

Six small bones covered in mucosa located inside the human nose, starting at the tip of the nose and extending to just below the eyes. Their purpose is to regulate airflow, warm and humidify air, and help filter out harmful or irritating particles.

Longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system that interfaces with the parasympathetic nervous system to regulate the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Nestor discusses the vagus nerve in connection to breathing practices like Tummo, which can condition the body to better control states of stress.

An ancient yoga practice and philosophy that derives from the Nirishwarasámkhya tradition and focuses primarily on sitting still, prana, and breathwork. Nestor distinguishes it from modern yoga practices, which he describes as more of an aerobic exercise.