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5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

colorado.edu

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Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#201

Post by jghn »

girvo wrote: post #22

Okay, so I have some straight up anecdotal evidence done with a real blood pressure cuff by a trained medical professional for a related phenomenon. I have to get a buprenorphine injection monthly. As a part of this, they take my blood pressure. I was talking to the nurse, animatedly about the silly policies our state government has around electric scooters, as she was taking my blood pressure. She didn't read out bo…

It might just be the sitting there for 5 minutes, and not so much the protocol. I get my BP checked regularly by my PCP's nurse. Usually they have me sit for a few mins and then come in to check. It's not uncommon that the first reading is higher than they'd like, and then they tell me to wait there for 5-10 mins and voila when they come back it's much lower.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#202

Post by jghn »

themodelplumber wrote: post #32
girvo wrote: post #22

Okay, so I have some straight up anecdotal evidence done with a real blood pressure cuff by a trained medical professional for a related phenomenon. I have to get a buprenorphine injection monthly. As a part of this, they take my blood pressure. I was talking to the nurse, animatedly about the silly policies our state government has around electric scooters, as she was taking my blood pressure. She didn't read out bo…

I agree, this is a great trick. I've been using it for almost 20 years and it's kinda funny to use around friends too, if you are playing around with home blood pressure equipment for any reason. Also take off any hats, wear loose-fitting clothing, wear sandals instead of shoes if possible, and uncross your feet if they are crossed. Also if they are weighing you clothes-on, it's worth some care as well. A lot of doct…

The weight thing never made sense to me. At some point I noticed doctors offices started weighing me on the way in instead of wearing the gown, as you note it's less standardized between readings. Fine whatever, but if that's going to be the case maybe don't needle me over < 5lb shifts in weight? One visit I'm wearing shorts, t-shirt, sandals, and not much else. The next visit its a heavy coat, jeans, and my pockets full of crap. I wonder what the difference was.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#203

Post by thenerdhead »

mjfl wrote: post #101
thenerdhead wrote: post #73

After reading Wim Hof and James Nestor a couple years ago during the pandemic, I used their techniques in full while battling long Covid. I had a blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter on my bedside table that I would experiment with doing these various techniques and seeing my heart rate go down, my blood pressure go down, my anxiety would disappear, lung/chest inflammation would settle, and even oxygen levels in…

do you mean it increased your running time?

Yes sorry. I used the wrong word. It had a negative effect on my running time up to 20%. In my case it added two minutes to my 10 minute mile average. It took me awhile to get back to normal.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#204

Post by yehBu77 »

greggsy wrote: post #48
yehBu77 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Powerbreathe seems like an unnecessary uni-tasking gadget conforming to western sensibilities. Zen and the Brain by James Austin details his study of Zen monks brains which revealed this breathing-stress connection scientifically decades ago. If I remember correctly, the exhale is especially important to triggering certain relaxation states; brains of monks who were especially focused on long exhales were appreciably…

> Powerbreathe seems like an unnecessary uni-tasking gadget conforming to western sensibilities. This is an incredibly elitist and exclusive observation. The use of a tool that provides positive health benefits to assist those unfamiliar with zen breathing techniques should be applauded. Meditation is ‘easy’ to those who are open and have time to commit to it, and it’s not for everyone. To some it might even be outsi…

This seems an unnecessary patronizing comment; free speech and all but thanks dad for admonishing others that don’t cater to your sensibilities.

You found a holy war in a disposable comment. You might consider your own knee jerk reaction over something so insignificant.

“Unnecessary unitasker” is not equivalent to “all unitaskers.” Not sure how you can take the language as is an extrapolate so much drama.

Two sentences and look at the thin skins remind me “we’re a society!”

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#205

Post by thenerdhead »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #126
chubot wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a pulse oximeter a couple years ago too, and it was eye opening (before COVID, and I didn't get COVID). The realtime feedback is useful and actionable. Breathing more slowly, exhaling more than inhaling (counterintuitive), pausing, and breathing through the nose definitely make a difference for me. But everyone is a little different so you have to experiment. Breathing is very multidimensional and hard to expla…

If your oxygen level is varying significantly while at rest, you are very out of shape aerobically, and you should be getting more exercise, not obsessing about your breathing patterns.

Is this true? I run ~15 miles a week, play pickup basketball 2x a week, and lift weights 3x a week. My oxygen levels can vary 2-5% depending on circadian rhythm at rest. When doing these breathing exercises, I can stabilize it at higher levels. That's at least my experience with it.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#206

Post by thenerdhead »

post_break wrote: post #115
chubot wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a pulse oximeter a couple years ago too, and it was eye opening (before COVID, and I didn't get COVID). The realtime feedback is useful and actionable. Breathing more slowly, exhaling more than inhaling (counterintuitive), pausing, and breathing through the nose definitely make a difference for me. But everyone is a little different so you have to experiment. Breathing is very multidimensional and hard to expla…

You should get a sleep study as well. It's amazing how little oxygen you can get when you sleep. Cpap sucks to wear at night, but it forces you to take the same breathing techniques. Just avoid philips products and go resmed.

This is why I enjoyed the "tape over mouth" tip by nestor. I was a mouth breather and would not feel very rested because of it. When breathing through nose only, I felt so refreshed as if I got more oxygen.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#207

Post by jansan »

reactspa wrote: post #5

The article mentions that the device is used during the inhale. Doesn't clarify if it's also used during the exhale or not. (I just rolled-up my fist and breathed through it. And it provided lots of resistance. So it looks like I might be able to make this work with just my fist.) If anyone knows, please hit reply and let me know.

In the video on the webpage at 0:14 the patient is using the device only for inhaling, not for exhaling. I tried breathing through my fist and it worked really well. Since I am not interested in another device that I have to clean and carry with me on travels I will try the fist method in the next weeks.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#208

Post by xiphmont »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #126
chubot wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a pulse oximeter a couple years ago too, and it was eye opening (before COVID, and I didn't get COVID). The realtime feedback is useful and actionable. Breathing more slowly, exhaling more than inhaling (counterintuitive), pausing, and breathing through the nose definitely make a difference for me. But everyone is a little different so you have to experiment. Breathing is very multidimensional and hard to expla…

If your oxygen level is varying significantly while at rest, you are very out of shape aerobically, and you should be getting more exercise, not obsessing about your breathing patterns.

While it's clear exercise is good for everyone, this statement is not well informed.

For example, oxygen saturation monitoring revealed my at-rest breathing reflex is completely broken due to a known genetic flaw. You know the memes about 'your breathing is now under conscious control'? Mine actually is.

That led to a sleep study-- and, yup, I don't breathe when I'm asleep. I wake every two or three minutes, all night, take a few breaths, and go back to sleep. And have all my life. The mystery of why I'm 'such a light sleeper' also revealed.

Doc I saw about it remarked the mutation is probably more widespread then we know because 'no one is looking for it'. It also completely freaked out a few anesthesiologists.

[There are other reflexes around breathing, and no, I can't just hold me breath as long as I want. The physiological reminders to breathe are pretty strong! But I routinely see my SP02 at rest drop below 70.]

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#209

Post by throwaway_1928 »

s00b4u wrote: post #34

This is called Pranayam. We are doing this in India since ages... Good to see that 'experts' from Western countries taking baby steps to learn. Good for you guys! Keep it up. Note 1: Some 'expert' took my comment on their ego and downvoted my comment. Guys, my comment was encouraging. Taking it on your ego is your personal choice.

Another commenter made this observation, but his comment was deleted by HN moderators.

I sure hope Elon Musk takes over Twitter so we will not need HN to have an open conversation.

Re: 5-min breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs (2021)

#210

Post by brigandish »

kshacker wrote: post #182
brigandish wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't matter one iota if someone claims it as their own, what matters is the benefit it brings. Do you think Patanjali (or whomever) would be protective of their techniques and trademark it, patent it, and extract wealth for it? If they don't care then neither should anyone else, and perhaps this will help the techniques spread further, which I'm sure Patanjali et al again, would not be against.

It matters because the adopter may highlight only 3 out of 20 exercises and if you did not know the original source, you may never learn about the other 17. Not that you may need the others, but maybe if you were aware, you could explore further and use the variations that are already well known to slice and dice when one kind of breathing may make sense as compared to the other. Someone posted this link, so I am jus…

If I learn 3 exercises lifted from a course of 20 and start doing them, say dead lifts, pull ups and bent over rows, then because the Youtube channel I learnt them off doesn't mention the other course I'm not going to find out about it?

Even if we were to wind that back to an earlier time period without all the benefits that search algorithms and the like bring, how would one who benefits from these techniques have such low interest that they'd never bother to find out anything more? I don't buy it.

> Kinda like open source - use but credit.

I'm all for giving credit. What I don't see is how that negatively impacts anyone in this situation - is Patanjali looking for credit? Does he need credit? Have they brought any of his techniques to more people?

All of these questions are yet to be answered with anything approaching a negative impact.

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