It’s Not the Oxygen That’s Killing You

What are you doing with your mouth? No, don’t stop reading, all I’m asking is how you’re breathing right now.

You don’t have to wear the most ass-sculpting yoga pants to think about breathing. This isn’t about “living in the moment” and all that stuff we know we should do and nod along with despite doing all the usual worrying, posting, comparing and other day-to-day 21st century fingernail-shredding activities.

Think about actually breathing. There is a basic assumption about breathing that is wrong. Factually wrong. It’s untrue. Yet people, including me, still knowlingly use the alternative truth day to day. It’s more cosy and nice. It’s more people-friendly. Using it is easier. But it’s still wrong.

Breathe in, fairly deeply but don’t strain yourself. Hold that breath. For as long as you can. Till it’s rather uncomfortable. The feelings of panic and desperation intensify the longer you hold out until finally, fight (or flight) kicks in and you suck in sweet fresh air. Then the adrenaline backs down and you wonder why you were in such a state moments before. All is well and you are demonstrably safe.

Why is it so hard to hold onto breath? Have a guess. Because you run short of Oxygen? No. You guessed wrong. Obviously, or this would be a much shorter read.

You’re Not Out of Oxygen—You’re Full of Acid

Let’s start again: Breathe in. Not slowly, not evenly, not paying attention to where you feel the breath most. Just breathe in. What did you breathe in?

Yes: air. 78% Nitrogen, 21% percent Oxygen, roughly 2% other stuff and less than 0.05% Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere (a small amount but Greta still isn’t happy – a little CO₂ goes a long way).

Now breathe out. What is released is still 78% Nitrogen, down to 16% O₂, CO₂ jumps to 4%  with the other stuff still in the mix as well. So why did you need fresh air? Could it be down to the O₂ volume dropping down by a measly quarter? Or the CO₂ volume increasing one hundred times? A change of 100x is surely a bigger deal than a change of a mere quarter.

When we breathe out air from our lungs we are not just making room for new fresh air, new oxygen to keep us vital, we are breathing out CO₂ which, if kept and not got rid of, increases the acidity of our blood. Which is a very bad thing. Dozens of systems and organs interact within us to keep our blood at a specific level of acidity. It doesn’t matter what you eat, how much orange juice or vinegar you take on board, your body fights off anything that threatens an increase, or decrease, in acidity all costs. Because if it doesn’t, you die. Simple.

Breathing Out Is More Important Than Breathing In

One mechanism that reduces acidity of the blood is breathing. More specifically, breathing out. It’s not lack of Oxygen that makes us gasp for breath, it’s a battle to keep our heart, lungs and brain out of an actual bath of acid which they themselves help create.

We can have an abundance of lovely fresh Oxygen to fuel the fires that keep everything running but without a constant clear out, the toxic by-products of living build up with fatal speed.

Keeping negativity to an absolute minimum is seemingly more important to our physical longevity than being constantly immersed in positivity. Put like that, I think I get it now.

For life to exist and truly thrive, we need new positive things to help us grow. But life also needs the negativity weeded out every single day. Yes it sounds like a chore, because it is. Like making your bed, washing your dishes or doing your laundry. You can’t do a year’s worth of showering on January the first and be stink-free for 12 months. Your physical needs require maintenance. As does your quality of life.

What Do You Need to Let Go of Today?

So what needs exhaled to help you enjoy the positives? Do you revel in believing that you are not worthy of your potential and don’t have to dream? You hide behind a role the world has handed you as a partner, parent or professional? Do you make yourself believe that being treated poorly is the same as being protected?

What small thing is building up that needs weeded out? It’s probably so close-up that it’s hard to focus on it at all. Perhaps you’re moving and thinking too fast and it’s just a blur. Could you slow down a bit and get to grips with it more? What is it you need to let go so you can thrive and grow?

Maybe you just need to take a moment…

…and breathe

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