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