This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von — Episode #641

Guest: James Nestor, Breathing Expert

Release Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this illuminating episode, host Theo Von sits down with James Nestor, acclaimed journalist and author of the newly revised bestseller “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” to explore the critical but often overlooked subject of breathing. James unpacks the science, history, and life-changing potential of conscious breathwork, revealing how something so automatic can influence physical health, cognitive performance, sleep, emotional regulation, and more. The conversation combines scientific insight, practical advice, personal stories, and Theo’s trademark humor for a captivating deep-dive into the lost art of healthy breathing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Breathing is a “Lost Art” ([03:16])

• Historical Perspective: Ancient cultures such as Hindus, Chinese, and Native Americans practiced and celebrated breathwork as medicine. “It was as essential as food or exercise.” (James Nestor, [03:16])
• Modern Neglect: Despite being fundamental, effective breathing is no longer taught, and poor habits are pervasive. Children especially exhibit dysfunctional breathing, which affects focus, oral health, and physical development ([05:21], [07:44]).

2. Breathing and Human Health ([02:03] – [09:44])

• Widespread Impacts: Correct nasal breathing can improve athletic performance, sleep, cognitive clarity, stress levels, oral health, and even sexual health.
• Mouth Breathing & Oral Health: Historic and contemporary dental experts say mouth breathing—not just sugar or carbs—is a leading cause of cavities. “Most dentists I talk to say the #1 cause of cavities is mouth breathing.” (James, [06:51])
• Structural Consequences: Chronic mouth breathing from a young age changes facial growth, complicates airway health, and explains the modern epidemic of braces and orthodontia ([09:21]).

3. Childhood Breathing Habits ([07:51] – [14:21])

• From Perfect to Poor: Healthy babies instinctively nasal breathe but lose this habit due to allergies, illness, and sedentary lifestyles. This leads to narrow mouths, crooked teeth, and higher incidence of sleep-disordered breathing ([08:16]).
• Parental Action: James urges parents to observe their children’s sleep: “If you can hear them breathing, there’s a problem.” ([11:11])
• Orthodontic Practices: Industrialized dentistry standardized tooth extraction and braces, sometimes impairing natural cranial development ([13:03]).

4. Industrialization, Diet, and Crooked Teeth ([14:50] – [18:03])

• Switch from tough, unprocessed foods led to less chewing, stunted jaw development, and a surge of orthodontic problems coinciding with the rise of processed foods ([16:54], [17:39]).

5. Simple Breathwork for Daily Life ([19:08] – [23:27])

• Coherent (Diaphragmatic) Breathing Exercise:
  • Place your hand below your belly button.
  • Breathe in and out through your nose, expanding and contracting your belly, 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out ([20:50]).
  • “You’re sending your brain and body signals that you are relaxed, that you are safe.” (James, [21:00])
• Effect: Rapidly calms the nervous system, lowers blood pressure and stress hormones, and becomes easier the more you practice.

6. Advanced Breathwork: Stress & Release ([31:48] – [36:33])

• Pranayama Exercise for Energy: Short, repeated inhales with holds, squeezing the muscles, and releasing—used to deliberately control and release stress ([33:09]).
• Why: “You’re purposely stressing your body out to show you can turn stress on and off.” ([35:28])

7. Breathwork and Emotional Release ([37:35] – [43:49])

• Emotional Catharsis: Intense breathwork can trigger deep emotional releases, even comparable to psychedelics. “Just such a release. It felt like it came out of the fabric of my existence.” (Theo, [40:03])
• Physiological Underpinning: Over-breathing can inhibit blood flow to the brain by 40%, prompting altered states and loosening emotional defenses ([41:12]).
• Physical Symptom (Tetany): Hands/feet may spasm or “claw” due to calcium imbalance induced by hyperventilation ([45:28]).

8. Comparing Methods: Wim Hof & Normal Breathing ([47:43] – [52:21])

• James emphasizes mastering healthy, functional nasal breathing before pursuing extreme breathwork like Wim Hof methods.
• “Most people are breathing dysfunctionally...once you get that solid foundation...then bring on the extremes.” ([48:12])
• Highlights Wim Hof’s impact in popularizing breathing with an athletic, adventurous twist.

9. Breathwork and Medical Issues

• ADHD ([65:28] – [70:12]):
  • Often diagnosed as a neurological disorder, but in many cases, root cause is sleep-disordered breathing (e.g. sleep apnea); treating the breathing issue can resolve ADHD-like symptoms in kids.
  • “For so many kids with ADHD, it’s not a neurological problem. It’s a breathing problem at night. A plumbing problem, not an electrical problem.” ([66:17])
• Snoring & Sleep Apnea ([70:40] – [74:51])
  • Chronic mouth breathing leads to snoring and risky sleep patterns; nasal breathing, positional therapy, and airway exercises can help.
  • Mouth tape and nasal strips can effectively re-train nasal breathing ([75:13], [81:20]).
  • “Mouth tape...reminds me throughout the night to breathe through my nose.” ([78:17])
• Asthma ([95:49] – [98:16]):
  • Over-breathing and poor CO₂ tolerance are core issues in many asthmatics. Slow, controlled nasal breathing builds tolerance and prevents attacks. Cites the Buteyko method.

10. Breathwork’s Broader Impacts

• Effects of Indoor CO₂: ([83:43] – [89:18])
  • Bad indoor air quality (high CO₂ from poor ventilation) impairs cognition, causes headaches and lethargy.
  • Example: “At 2000 parts per million inside, about one in forty breaths is someone else’s exhalation.” ([85:01])
  • James travels with a CO₂ monitor and encourages opening windows and using plants for natural air purification ([90:14]).
• Plants and Oxygen: Snake plants, ivy, aloe, and pothos excel at night-time oxygenation ([94:16] – [94:53]).
• Simplicity Is Key: Many celebrity clients are let down by the mundanity of the “secret”—normal, conscious nasal breathing. “It’s about doing the work...we’re breathing all the time, so you should be breathing in a way that is conducive to your health.” ([60:28]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the foundational role of breath:
  “Most of our energy comes from air, not food, not drink, but from air. I can prove this.” – James Nestor ([03:37])

• On how easy, free fixes are often ignored:
  “A lot of people are apprehensive by things that are free and easy.” – James Nestor ([27:23])

• On mouth tape for sleep:
  “This is how sophisticated this technology is...It is reminding me throughout the night to breathe through my nose. The point is not to do a hostage situation.” – James Nestor ([78:17])

• On breathing affecting ADHD:
  “It’s a plumbing problem, not an electrical problem.” – James Nestor ([66:17])

• On practicing simple breathwork for massive change:
  “Once you become a normal breather, then you do breath work—it will take you places you never dreamed about.” – James Nestor ([61:25])

• Theo on emotional release during breathwork:
  “Just such a release. And I could...it felt like it came out of the fabric of my existence.” – Theo Von ([40:03])

• James walking through the basic exercise:
  “Just breathe in through your nose for five, out for five, belly expanding. That will change your nervous system.” – (Paraphrased, [20:50] – [22:01])

• On indoor air quality:
  “At 2,000 parts per million...about one in every forty breaths is someone else’s exhalation.” – James Nestor ([85:01])

• Theo’s humor on breathing progress:
  “There’s a lot of thick white dudes just hiding in freezers in the garage right now, all because of Wim Hof.” – Theo Von ([51:05])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:16] — Why breathing is a “lost art”
• [06:51] — Mouth breathing and cavities
• [07:51] — Why children lose proper breathing habits
• [09:21] — Impact of breathing on facial structure
• [14:50] — Diet, industrialization, and crooked teeth
• [19:08] — Basic daily breathwork instructions
• [31:48] — Advanced stress-release breathing exercise (Pranayama)
• [37:35] — Emotional release and breathwork, trauma stories
• [41:12] — Biology of extreme breathwork (DMT? Not so fast.)
• [47:43] — Wim Hof vs. “normal” breathing
• [65:28] — Breathing, snoring, and ADHD in children
• [75:13] — Mouth tape, nasal strips, and sleep
• [83:43] — Indoor CO₂, air quality, cognitive performance
• [90:14] — Plants as natural air filters/oxygenators
• [95:49] — Asthma, CO₂ tolerance, and breathing retraining

Practical Tips & Takeaways

• Observe children’s breathing while they sleep. Open-mouthed or audible breathing is a red flag; seek help if this is persistent ([11:11]).
• Retrain yourself toward nasal breathing, day and night. Try mouth tape, nasal strips, and daily reminders.
• Practice basic coherent breathing: Five counts in, five counts out, through the nose—belly expanding and contracting ([20:50]).
• **Set alarms or reminders for intentional sighs/resets throughout your day ([63:03]).
• If you or your child has ADHD, explore sleep-disordered breathing before medication.
• Use plants (especially snake plants, pothos, aloe) to boost indoor oxygen and air quality.
• **If you struggle with asthma, practice slow nasal breathing and CO₂ tolerance using Buteyko methods ([96:34]).
• Be wary of complicated or commercialized breathwork until you’ve mastered the basics.

Closing Reinforcement

James emphasizes that while dramatic breathwork has a place, the most profound benefits come from restoring and habituating the simple, natural, biologically intended way of breathing. “It’s the most unsexy thing to talk about, but...if you really want to help yourself, become a normal breather.”

Get James Nestor’s revised edition of “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” for more—available now.

Summary curated for listeners seeking practical, science-backed insights into breathing, health, and the rediscovery of a lost human superpower.