Quarantine read: ‘Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art’ by James Nestor

Aisha Hamad AlMidfa

James Nestor, a journalist, came out with a new book late May of this year that is considered under the genre of self-help books.

The book can be useful to many during the lockdown and social distancing as it focuses on one’s self in hopes of betterment and improvement.

I’m looking forward to reading this book as I find it relates to the psychological coping mechanism: mindfulness. Mindfulness is a technique whereby one focuses on the present moment without inflecting any self-judgement. It is a very gentle and soothing approach.

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Breathing is the most subconscious habit that many do not focus on greatly, but Nestor has taken the liberty by addressing the right way to breath because he believes we as humans have lost the ability to breathe accurately.

The reason Nestor decided to write a book about the art of breathing is due to him dealing with respiratory issues, so the theories about breathing that are mentioned in the book are scientifically proven; hence people can benefit from them.

The book incorporates years of medical texts and recent studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, in order to perfect the most crucial function that exists, breathing.

The book aims to synchronize the body and mind because breathing comes before everything and it is the foundation that allows the body and mind to function efficiently, which is why it is an interesting read in my opinion.

Nestor states, “No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly.”

Aisha is an intern with Gulf Today. She covers the Emirati community, culture, and food.