4
$\begingroup$

I've written a computer program which beeps, then beeps after 10 sec, then beeps after 11 sec, then beeps after 12 sec, etc.

I tried the following "experiment" on myself: do only one breath between the beeps, so slowing breath until I can't do it.

After finishing this "training" and starting to breath normally again, I felt enormous "freshness".

Is this experiment safe for health? How does it influence health?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Whether or not it is safe is a discussion perhaps best to have with your doctor - personal health will determine the safety of this, and it will also depend on how far you push yourself, obviously at some point your program will be beeping once a week... As for health effects we could speculate - perhaps it is similar to some meditation techniques - but this is a very unusual small experiment. $\endgroup$
    – rg255
    Commented Dec 1, 2013 at 8:27
  • $\begingroup$ @rg255 It would get to the "once a week" stage after more than 5,000 years. $\endgroup$
    – mathlander
    Commented Nov 12, 2023 at 3:09

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1
$\begingroup$

You can try as much to slow down your breathing but the body will speed it up if it requires. What you've probably done is relaxed and just basically meditated. It's not the breathing but the relaxing yourself to slow your breathing and the focus which has refreshed you. I say conduct some experiments, like listen to calming music and relax and don't monitor your breathing and see if you feel the same.

//updating answer

Slowing your breathing builds up the carbon dioxide in your body. This is bad for the body so it forces you to breathe. In fact our breathing is seriously tightly controlled so that our body tightly controls the carbon dioxide (or more correctly the pH) in our blood. There are some groups of patients in which permanent slow breathing exists. In these people their carbon dioxide climbs and the kidneys have to compensate.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .