The Rich Roll Podcast The New Science Of Breath: James Nestor On Why Most People Are Breathing Wrong
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Feb 2, 2026 
James Nestor, science journalist and author of Breath, explores why modern humans often breathe poorly and how nasal vs mouth breathing changes health. He covers jaw development, CO2’s role in oxygen delivery, sleep-disordered breathing links to ADHD, breath training for athletes, and practical nasal-diaphragmatic techniques you can try right away.
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Indoor CO2 Impairs Cognition
- Poor indoor air (high CO2) degrades cognition and raises stress during long exposures.
- Schools and hotels often recycle air causing CO2 to spike and impair performance.
Breathwork Changed Nestor’s Respiratory Health
- James Nestor transformed his recurring bronchitis after attending a breathwork class and learning nasal breathing.
- The practice relieved his respiratory issues when conventional treatment had not.
Stanford Mouth-Breathing Experiment
- In a Stanford study, 10 days of forced mouth breathing produced rapid health declines including sleep apnea.
- Switching back to nasal breathing and mouth taping reversed symptoms within 48 hours.
