The Breath Lab

Nine breaths
on trial.

Classic breaths, one honest experiment. Take your pulse, practice, take it again, and see what the research says.

Every breath here gets two tests. The first is the published research, graded claim by claim. The second is your own body: a pulse and a rating before, the same two after, and a notebook that keeps score.

Run an experimentSee the evidence
9 Breathsclassic and popular, one experiment each
27 Claimsgraded strong, promising, thin or myth
25 Sourcescited and linked at the foot of the page
3 Open nowthe other seven are free with your email

THE BREATH LAB

by @neurosomatic_yogi · NeuroSomatic Yoga

Classic breaths, one honest experiment. Take your pulse, practice, take it again, and see what the research says.

Pick a breath
  • BASELINE
  • BREATHE
  • RE-TEST
  • RESULT

Get your baseline

30s
Count every beat until the timer ends.
0 · completely loose10 · wound tight
Your lab notebook

Runs on this device

One run can't prove much. Your pulse drops from simply sitting still, so compare each breath with a few Control runs: five minutes sitting quietly, same tests. A week of runs starts to tell you something. Using a watch or ring? Use the same device for every run you compare. Runs are saved in this browser only.

DATEBREATHPULSE (BPM)CHANGEHRV (MS)RATINGCHANGE
The scoreboard

Nine breaths, twenty-seven claims

Every popular claim, graded against the research. Strong = consistent findings across many studies. Promising = positive but small, mixed or biased studies. Thin = little evidence either way. Myth = the claim has no support.

Sama Vritti

Equal breathing
  • Calms your bodySTRONG
  • Beats normal breathing for stressPROMISING
  • Six a minute is magicTHIN

Nadi Shodhana

Alternate nostril
  • Lowers blood pressurePROMISING
  • Calms you downPROMISING
  • Balances your brainTHIN

Bhramari

Humming bee breath
  • Calms you downPROMISING
  • Boosts nitric oxideSTRONG
  • Helps ringing earsTHIN

Kapalabhati

Skull-shining breath
  • Detoxes your bodyMYTH
  • Strengthens your lungsPROMISING
  • Sharpens your focusTHIN

Box Breathing

In, hold, out, hold
  • Performs under pressurePROMISING
  • Calms you downPROMISING
  • Beats every other breathTHIN

Single-Nostril

Surya & Chandra Bhedana
  • Right side energizesPROMISING
  • Left side calmsTHIN
  • The sides do oppositesTHIN

Sitali & Sitkari

Cooling breath
  • Cools your bodyMYTH
  • Tongue rolling is geneticMYTH
  • Lowers blood pressurePROMISING

Ujjayi

Ocean breath
  • Calms you downPROMISING
  • The sound adds a benefitTHIN
  • Easier to controlTHIN

4-7-8 Breathing

The relaxing breath
  • Eases anxietyPROMISING
  • Beats plain slow breathingMYTH
  • Puts you to sleep fastTHIN
The full lab

Get all nine experiments, free.

You're in. The full lab is yours.

Enter your email and the full lab opens right away, with every breath ready to run. You'll also get new experiments by email. Unsubscribe anytime.

Comment LAB on any Breath Lab post on Instagram and I'll send you the link to the full lab, with every breath ready to run.

Rather not use email? Comment LAB on any Breath Lab post on Instagram and I'll send you the link.

Every breath is open there, and your notebook comes with you on this device.

Sama VrittiBhramariKapalabhatiSingle-NostrilSitali & SitkariUjjayi4-7-8 Breathing
@neurosomatic_yogiOpen the full lab