The Breath Stress Test

Increasing your score on this test can move the needle for everything from cardio endurance to muscular fatigue to how you are sleeping and most importantly how you deal with stress.

How to do the test:

1. Sit comfortably for at least 5:00 before starting and relax your breathing. You don’t want to be running around immediately before testing.
2. When ready take 3 more completely normal breaths.
3. After the 3rd breath, inhale to your maximum capacity. Breathe in as much air as possible.
4. Begin your timer as you begin to exhale as slowly as possible.
5. Stop your timer if any of the following occur:
   1. You run out of air.
   2. You stop at all in the middle of the exhale. This could be from swallowing or just having a hitch in the airflow.
   3. You begin to panic.
6. The time shown on your clock is your score.

Elite breathers and those who will be the least likely to react poorly to stressful situations have scores above 60 seconds. Most beginners will score below 25 seconds though. Beginning a breath practice and breathing through your nose will begin moving your score in the right direction.