BREATH

Sinopsis

We breathe roughly 25,000 times a day, yet something as basic as breathing may not be as simple as it seems. In Breath, journalist James Nestor travels from ancient burial sites and Soviet laboratories to choir schools and the streets of São Paulo to investigate how humans have lost the ability to breathe properly—and what can be done about it. Along the way, he explores ancient practices such as Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo, while meeting researchers and practitioners who are putting long-held ideas about breathing to the test. Drawing on medical texts and research in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Nestor examines how subtle changes in the way we inhale and exhale may influence sleep, athletic performance, and overall well-being. Breath combines science, history, and personal investigation to challenge what we think we know about one of the most essential functions of the human body.