Box (4-sided) breathing: activate parasympathetic NS, lower BP, help with sleep

[Rebeccare]

I think that box breathing is going to become much more popular in Massachusetts! The new quarterback of the New England Patriots, a 23-year-old rookie named Mac Jones, was observed using the technique during his NFL debut last weekend: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09...o-calm-his-nfl-debut-his-breathing-technique/

“Just breathing in general, just slowing down your breathing,” Jones said. “There’s some specific things you can do, but for me, that helps because that kind of lowers the pressure part of it, and you just kind of relax a little bit.”

“I think a lot of successful athletes use that,” Jones said. “It just depends on the player. Some people probably focus on it more than others, but especially when you have to run a lot.

“I know the receivers, sometimes they have to focus on their breathing a lot, and then, for me, it just helps just calm everything down.”

Apparently he was taught this technique by a few years ago by a training buddy who later joined the Navy SEALS.

So if you want to throw like Mac Jones, box breathing just may be the way to go!

 

[hapl808]

Seriphos (phosphorylated serine, NOT phosphatidyl serine) worked like a miracle to lower my levels, it helped almost immediately. I had to taper up to find the dose that worked for me and also found it was very important to take it in the morning. When I took it at night, it caused an awful weird kind of insomnia but in the morning it just calmed me down.

Hadn't heard of this before. Last time I tested cortisol was a few years ago and it was semi-normal, but in the last couple years one of my main symptoms is high heart rate and low HRV from when I wake up until mid-evening when suddenly my HR drops and HRV improves. Makes me think there's some adrenal issue. How did you find the Seriphos? I see it's sold on Amazon.

 

[Mary]

How did you find the Seriphos?

I learned about Seriphos about 16 years ago (can't remember exactly). There was a clinic I found on-line (and I can't remember its name either!) which dealt with adrenal issues. They did an adrenal stress index test for me, which showed high cortisol in the middle of the night, which explained severe middle of the night insomnia I was having. They recommended Seriphos, which I bought from this clinic. We did everything via email or phone. I don't know it its still extant, and if I could remember the name, it would be easy to find out!

You can get Seriphos a lot of places. I would avoid Amazon because of its reputation for fake products. I just don't trust them. I still need Seriphos off and on - at times of higher stress, I tend to need it - otherwise I generally don't. I usually buy it from iherb.com. Pure Formulas and Professional Supplement Center are also both good vendors.

I had to titrate up to find an effective dose for me back in 2004 or 2005. At that time I needed 8 capsules a day- a very high dose! But it's what I needed and I never recommend that anyone start with that dose. I usually suggest people start with 1 or 2 a day and then increase it as needed. And I learned that it works best when taken in the morning. When I took it at night it caused a weird horrible insomnia for me.

I think it would probably be best if you did an adrenal index stress test first which can help determine if Seriphos would be right for you.

 

[hapl808]

Thanks for the info. I checked my last cortisol test and it showed the morning and noon levels as quite elevated, with normal afternoon and evening. That pretty much correlates with how I feel. Not sure if Seriphos would help when my cortisol is elevated for the first half of the day, but then comes back into the normal range in the evening. My HRV shows something similar.

 

[vision blue]

Box breathing: How to do it, benefits, and tips (medicalnewstoday.com)

This really works! It helps put me back to sleep in the middle of the night (I have to do it for about 15 minutes, but can literally feel my body shifting, relaxing). It also does lower BP, albeit temporarily, though I'm guessing if done regularly several times a day it might lead to sustained lowering. It's important to do all the steps while breathing through your nose - keep your mouth closed. In general that's the best way to breathe (See "The Oxygen Advantage" by Patrick McKeown)

The article says to do everything for a count of 4 - I do it differently - inhale for a count of 5, and then do the other 3 steps for a count of 7 or 8 each. Also, all four steps are done on one inhalation (the first step). Don't do a second inhalation before the 4th step.

Also, humming (believe it or not! ) can help too. It increases production of nitric oxide which dilates blood vessels. So when I do the exhalation part of the box breathing, I often hum while doing it . . . fortunately there's no one around to hear me!

Humming also stimulates the vagal nerve which increases parasypathetic activity which decreases sympathetic tone. To bring it back to meditation (related to breathing), some think the "ohm" chant in some meditation traditions is there for that reason. I use huuming also to try to activiate parasympethetic was thining of starting a thread in the Lounge on 'songs to hum by"...I try to find things that feel like they are resonating deep in my chest when i hum

 

[Strawberry]

I need to remember humming. Fantastic reminder!