How breathing works - Nirvair Kaur
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0:15 - 0:17We take a breath every few seconds.
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0:17 - 0:19Our life depends upon inhaling oxygen,
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0:19 - 0:21but we never think about how we breathe.
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0:21 - 0:24It just seems to happen automatically.
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0:24 - 0:26How can something that seems so simple
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0:26 - 0:29be the key to keeping us alive?
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0:29 - 0:31Breathing starts with the environment around us.
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0:31 - 0:33The air we breathe in, or inspire,
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0:33 - 0:38has a mixture of gases including nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen,
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0:38 - 0:40which is the most important for our survival.
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0:40 - 0:43It enters our body through the nose and mouth,
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0:43 - 0:47moves down into the pharynx, trachea and bronchial tubes,
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0:47 - 0:51and ultimately reaches the alveoli air sacs in the lungs.
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0:51 - 0:56The alveoli use pressure to move oxygen and nutrients into the blood.
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0:56 - 1:02The diaphragm and intercostal muscles are a pumping system that facilitates this air exchange.
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1:02 - 1:09How you breathe affects your energy level, especially when you are under physical or emotional stress.
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1:09 - 1:12Think back to the last difficult test you had to take.
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1:12 - 1:16It's likely that as you became more nervous, the tension in your body increased,
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1:16 - 1:18and your breathing quickly sped up.
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1:18 - 1:24The shallower our breath, the less oxygen that reaches our brain, and the harder it is to focus.
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1:24 - 1:30What's our response to physical stress, like a fast-paced game of field hockey after school?
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1:30 - 1:37As we exert pressure on our bodies, the muscles require a great deal of energy and demand additional oxygen.
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1:37 - 1:39Our panting breath starts to kick in,
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1:39 - 1:43which creates pressure to draw in more air and oxygen to the body,
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1:43 - 1:48and regulates body temperature by allowing it to cool down naturally.
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1:48 - 1:51These aren't the only times our breathing is affected or altered.
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1:51 - 1:54Think about the last time you got angry or emotional.
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1:54 - 1:57Anger creates a metabolic reaction in the body,
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1:57 - 2:01which stresses it out and heats up our internal temperature.
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2:01 - 2:04Have you ever seen anyone lose their cool?
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2:04 - 2:09Ultimately, if we're breathing under stress over long periods of time, there are consequences.
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2:09 - 2:13When the cells of a body aren't getting the oxygen they need,
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2:13 - 2:17the nutrients available to the body decrease and toxins build up in the blood.
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2:17 - 2:23It is thought that a hypoxic, or oxygen-poor environment, can increase cancerous cells.
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2:23 - 2:28The good news is that we can control our breath much more than we realize.
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2:28 - 2:32This means we can increase both the quality and quantity of the breath.
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2:32 - 2:35The science of breathing has been around for thousands of years,
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2:35 - 2:40from ancient yogis in India to respiratory therapists working with patients today.
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2:40 - 2:45Both would tell you that there are specific techniques that will help you improve your breathing.
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2:45 - 2:50Breathing is all about moving air from a higher-pressure to a lower-pressure environment.
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2:50 - 2:52More breath means more oxygen,
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2:52 - 2:57and ultimately a greater amount of nutrients that's available for our cells and blood.
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2:57 - 3:01We naturally do this when we let out a big sigh.
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3:01 - 3:06Changing the air pressure going into the lungs is one of the main ways to alter breathing.
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3:06 - 3:10Our body automatically does this when we cough, sneeze, or have the hiccups.
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3:10 - 3:12Here's a simple experiment.
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3:12 - 3:15Close off your right nostril with your right thumb.
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3:15 - 3:21Breathe in and out just through the left nostril.
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3:21 - 3:24Notice how much harder it is to get the breath in.
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3:24 - 3:29You have to focus your attention, and use your diaphragm and muscles much more than normal.
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3:29 - 3:34By decreasing the surface area of the airways, you're increasing the pressure of oxygen
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3:34 - 3:36moving from the alveoli to the blood.
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3:36 - 3:40Yogis often practice alternate nostril breathing to slow down the breath,
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3:40 - 3:46increase oxygen, and activate the body's parasympathetic nervous system,
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3:46 - 3:50which deals with the body's operations when it's at rest.
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3:50 - 3:52Let's try another exercise.
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3:52 - 3:56Visualize the way a dog pants when it breathes.
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3:56 - 3:58Now try doing the same type of panting,
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3:58 - 4:04first with your tongue out, then with your mouth closed.
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4:04 - 4:09You will find yourself using your stomach muscles to push the air out as you exhale.
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4:09 - 4:11Place your hand under your nose,
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4:11 - 4:14and you'll feel the strength of the breath coming out.
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4:14 - 4:20Breathing this way is hard because it requires an active movement of our diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
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4:20 - 4:27Our body temperature changes quickly during this exercise from the amount of pressure we are exerting on our breath.
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4:27 - 4:32It's no surprise that you'll find dogs doing this breath often to cool down on a hot day.
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4:32 - 4:38When we sleep at night, the medulla center of the brain makes sure that we keep breathing.
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4:38 - 4:40Lucky for us we don't have to think about it.
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4:40 - 4:43During the day, our breath is much more vulnerable,
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4:43 - 4:46especially under stressful or difficult situations.
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4:46 - 4:49That's why it's helpful to pay attention to your breathing.
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4:49 - 4:51If you can monitor and change your breath,
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4:51 - 4:55you can improve both the quality and quantity of oxygen that enters your body.
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4:55 - 5:01This lowers stress, increases energy, and strengthens your immune system.
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5:01 - 5:04So the next time someone tells you to relax and take a deep breath,
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5:04 - 5:06you'll know exactly why.
- Title:
- How breathing works - Nirvair Kaur
- Description:
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View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-breathing-works-nirvair-kaur
We breathe constantly, but have you ever thought about how breathing works? Discover the ins and outs of one of our most basic living functions-- from the science of respiration to how to control your breaths.
Lesson by Nirvair Kaur, animation by Santiago Uceda.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 05:19
Bedirhan Cinar approved English subtitles for How breathing works - Nirvair Kaur | ||
Bedirhan Cinar accepted English subtitles for How breathing works - Nirvair Kaur | ||
tom carter added a translation |