Non optimal breathing, particularly breath that is fast and shallow can be metabolically demanding and can actually lead to fatigue.

When you breathe inefficiently, you utilize only a small portion of your lung capacity. When you breathe shallowly, you’re not using your diaphragm to its full capacity, which means that you’re not taking in as much oxygen as you would with deep breathing. This can lead to decreased oxygen delivery to your tissues, which can contribute to feelings of exhuastion.

Secondly, if you’re predominantly breathing in your chest, it can cause overuse of the accessory muscles of respiration, such as the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper chest. This can lead to muscle tension and pain, which can contribute to the overall feeling of fatigue.

Finally, sub optimal breathing can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response. This can cause an increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can have negative effects on your metabolism, leading to chronic fatigue over time.

There is strong evidence that you can reverse your brain-related fatigue and sleep issues with hypoxia based breath training protocols. These techniques address the causes of fatigue and help build energy by supporting mitochondrial health.

The idea behind hypoxia breath training is that it can improve mitochondrial function, which contributes to increased energy levels. Mitochondria are responsible for producing energy within our cells, and when they are not functioning optimally, it can lead to fatigue and other symptoms.

Hypoxia breath training involves intentionally reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the body during the breathing exercise. This can stimulate adaptations in the body that can improve mitochondrial function, such as increased production of mitochondria or improvements in the efficiency of oxygen utilization.  The end result is greater energy as well as increased overall resilience so you can tackle life challenges without feeling constantly drained.