Breath
📘 Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is a popular science book by journalist James Nestor, published by Riverhead Books on 26 May 2020. [1] It argues that breathing habits—especially nasal versus mouth breathing and slower, lighter rhythms—shape sleep, cardiovascular and mental health, weaving history, physiology, and self-experiments such as a Stanford trial alternating enforced mouth- and nose-breathing. [2] The book is structured in three parts and ten chapters (e.g., “Nose,” “Exhale,” “Slow,” “Less,” “Chew,” “Hold It”). [3] Reviewers describe the prose as engaging, reported narrative that blends travelogue with accessible science. [4][5] It became a New York Times bestseller and a Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2020, and—according to the publisher—has sold more than three million copies in 44 languages. [1][6]
| Breath by James Nestor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Full title | Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art |
| Author | James Nestor |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Breathing; Respiration; Health |
| Genre | Nonfiction; Popular science |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
Publication date | 26 May 2020 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover); e-book; audiobook |
| Pages | 304 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7352-1361-6 |
| Goodreads rating | 4.1/5 (as of 19 October 2025) |
| Website | penguinrandomhouse.com |
Chapter summary
This outline follows the Riverhead hardcover edition (26 May 2020; ISBN 978-0-7352-1361-6).[1][7][3][8]
I – The experiment
🐒 1 – The Worst Breathers in the Animal Kingdom.
👄 2 – Mouthbreathing.
II – The lost art and science of breathing
👃 3 – Nose.
💨 4 – Exhale.
🐢 5 – Slow.
➖ 6 – Less.
🦷 7 – Chew.
III – Breathing+
➕ 8 – More, on Occasion.
⏸️ 9 – Hold It.
⏱️ 10 – Fast, Slow, and Not at All.
Background & reception
🖋️ Author & writing. Nestor is a science journalist and author of Deep (2014); the publisher notes that Breath follows his reporting across labs, ancient burial sites, Soviet facilities, choir schools, and city streets to examine how breathing works and why it went awry. [1] He frames the book as a “scientific adventure,” linking breathing patterns to health and recounting how recurrent respiratory issues led him to test claims first-hand. [2] A central episode is a Stanford-run experiment overseen by an otolaryngologist that forced mouth-only breathing for 10 days before switching to nose-only breathing, with diary-style measurements of snoring, apnea events, and blood pressure. [9] The book’s voice mixes reportage, history, and practical techniques across three parts and ten concise chapters. [4][3]
📈 Commercial reception. Nestor’s site records that Breath spent 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. [10] In the sales week ending 30 May 2020, Publishers Weekly reported the book’s debut at #12 on Hardcover Nonfiction. [11] It was also selected as a Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2020. [6] The publisher attributes more than three million copies sold and translations into 44 languages. [1]
👍 Praise. Kirkus Reviews called the book “a welcome, invigorating user’s manual for the respiratory system.” [4] Publishers Weekly praised it as a “fascinating ‘scientific adventure’” that convincingly argues everyday breathing is “vital to get right.” [2] The Boston Globe highlighted its “entertaining, eerily well-timed” explanations of proper breathing and its potential to change daily habits. [5] Library Journal deemed it “highly recommended,” noting the clear synthesis of research, interviews, and techniques. [12]
👎 Criticism. In the Wall Street Journal, Sam Kean faulted the book for not applying enough skepticism to “dicey” evidence and for underplaying placebo effects. [13] Psychiatrist Kate Womersley, writing in The Spectator, argued that Nestor leans heavily on anecdotes and makes overbroad claims about nitric oxide and CO₂, cautioning against turning “enhanced breathing” into a commercial self-optimization trend. [14] A trade article in Sleep Review welcomed the book’s accessibility but warned that popular practices like mouth-taping should not displace clinical diagnosis and care. [9] Beyond reviews, a 2023 meta-analysis of randomized trials found small-to-moderate benefits of breathwork for stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, while urging caution due to moderate risk of bias and heterogeneity in studies. [15]
🌍 Impact & adoption. Fresh Air devoted a full episode to Nestor on 27 May 2020, amplifying the book’s core ideas to a national audience. [16] The book was shortlisted for the 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize. [17] Nestor later created a long-form course, “The Power of Your Breath,” for BBC Maestro, reflecting mainstream uptake of breathwork education. [18] Educational outreach also included contributions to The Global Classroom’s breathing programming for schoolchildren in 2021. [19]
Related content & more
YouTube videos
CapSach articles
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Breath by James Nestor: 9780735213616". Penguin Random House. Penguin Random House. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art". Publishers Weekly. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Breath : the new science of a lost art". Marmot Catalog. Marmot Library Network. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "BREATH: THE NEW SCIENCE OF A LOST ART". Kirkus Reviews. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Miller, Stuart (21 May 2020). "Yes, changing how you breathe will help you live longer". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "50 notable works of nonfiction in 2020". The Washington Post. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "Breath : the new science of a lost art". WorldCat. OCLC. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ Krasowski, J. A. (2020). "Breath, The new science of a lost art". Medical Reference Services Quarterly. doi:10.1080/08869634.2020.1823793. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Roy, Sree (4 December 2020). "A Popular New Book Elicits Gasps of Delight & Concern from Sleep Specialists". Sleep Review. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "About — James Nestor". MRJAMESNESTOR. 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ Juris, Carolyn (5 June 2020). "This Week's Bestsellers: June 8, 2020". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art". Library Journal. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ Kean, Sam (31 May 2020). "'Breath' Review: Eager Breather". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ Womersley, Kate (1 August 2020). "We all breathe – 25,000 times a day – so why aren't we better at it?". The Spectator. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ Fincham, Guy William; Clara Strauss; Jesus Montero-Marin; Kate Cavanagh (9 January 2023). "Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials". Scientific Reports. 13: 432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "How The 'Lost Art' Of Breathing Can Impact Sleep And Resilience". Fresh Air Archive (WHYY/NPR). 27 May 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "Shortlist for 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize revealed". Royal Society. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "James Nestor — The Power of Your Breath". BBC Maestro. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ↑ "The Global Classroom's Top Five Breathing Techniques for Children". The Global Classroom. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2025.