High Altitude Breathing Techniques: Mastering the Breath

Mountains captivate us, inspiring determination, creativity, and awe that fuel the spirit. They symbolise purity and humanity’s highest aspirations in myths and religion, often seen as sacred for rising above earthly struggles. The Tibetan legend of Shambhala – a paradise hidden behind unscalable mountains – reflects the mountains’ allure. Could their majestic essence be the draw for people to scale these beasts, to ascend to high altitudes in the hope of finding this hidden paradise?

Whatever draws you to these extreme heights – whether it’s the challenge, the beauty, or the sense of accomplishment – learning the correct high altitude breathing techniques is vital. It’s not just about performing at your best; it’s about keeping yourself safe up there.

What Happens to Your Body at High Elevations?

Altitude stimulates the production of red blood cells in our body, improving oxygen uptake in the tissues. However, too many red blood cells can lead to chronic mountain sickness which can cause high hemoglobin levels, malaise, pulmonary hypertension, headaches, and cyanosis.

Your body can also struggle to adapt to the reduced oxygen levels at higher elevations, leading to Altitude sickness (dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, insomnia and more).

And this is where breathing comes in.

Why Breathing Matters at High Altitudes

The higher you go, the thinner the air gets (barometric pressure decreases). With less oxygen available, your body has to work overtime to deliver the oxygen your muscles and organs need. This can lead to symptoms like shortness of breath, rapid breathing, fatigue, and decreased performance. Proper breathing is important at high altitudes to help the body adapt to these lower oxygen levels in the air.

High Altitude Breathing: The Best Techniques

Here are three breathing techniques to help you work with your lungs rather than against them:

Heading: Deep, Abdominal Breathing

Slow down your breathing rate, but increase the depth of each breath by breathing low into the belly, using the diaphragm. As your activity increases, you may have to increase the frequency of your breaths, but keep inhaling as deeply and as low into the belly as possible.

Pursed Lip Breathing

Breathe in through your nose, then purse your lips, as if you’re blowing out through a straw, and control your exhale. You should try to exhale for double the amount of time you inhale. This technique helps activate the diaphragm and full capacity of the lungs whilst balancing the amounts of carbon dioxide and oxygen for optimal exchange.

Ideally, you should control your pace, stay relaxed, and reduce exertion to keep your breathing at a level where you can maintain this breathing technique. This will allow you to continue to keep climbing rather than having to stop for breath.

VIHT Breathing

Voluntary Isocapnic Hypoventilation Training is a way to help your body adapt to lower oxygen levels at high altitudes. It involves slowing your breathing and intentionally taking in less air. To try it, find a quiet, comfortable spot, sit down, and focus on your breath. Start with slow, deep breaths, then gently reduce the depth and pace – maybe from 5 seconds to 2-3 seconds per breath. Begin with just a few minutes a day, increasing as it feels right, and aim to start practicing a few weeks before your climb.

Interested in learning breathwork? Get started with our 7 Days of Free Breathwork practices!

Other Ways to Prepare Your Lungs for High Altitudes

Another way to prepare your body and lungs for high altitudes is to increase your lung capacity before heading to higher elevations. Performing lung stretches can help you expand your lung capacity, as can certain breathing techniques. Below is an outline of some lung stretches and breathing practices to increase your lung capacity.

Stretches for Increasing Lung Capacity

Stretching can enhance lung capacity (the volume of air your lungs can hold at any one time), by loosening the chest muscles and opening up the chest, enabling deeper breaths. Here are some beneficial stretches to try:

Overhead Stretch:

1. Stand straight with your knees slightly relaxed.
2. Slowly bend down at the waist, while pushing air out of your lungs.
3. Stand back up slowly and breathe in deeply, filling your lungs completely with air.
4. Hold your breath for at least 20 seconds.
5. While holding your breath, raise your arms overhead.
6. As you start to exhale through your mouth, bring your arms down.
7. Repeat this stretch 4 times.

Rib Stretch:

1. Stand straight and exhale – completely emptying your lungs.
2. Slowly breathe in, filling your lungs as much as possible.
3. Hold your breath for at least 20 seconds.
4. While holding your breath, place your hands on your hips with your thumbs pointing forward and your little fingers touching the small of your back.
5. After at least 20 seconds of holding your breath, exhale slowly and relax.
6. Repeat this stretch 3 times.

Intercostal Stretch:

1. Inhale deeply and slowly, filling your lungs completely with air.
2. As you exhale, gently stretch your arms to the right side, feeling a stretch in the left side of your ribcage (the intercostal muscles).
3. Bring your arms back to the center and relax for a moment.
4. Inhale deeply again, and as you exhale, stretch your arms to the left side to stretch the right intercostal muscles.
5. Alternate sides, performing the stretch a few times on each side.
6. Focus on your breathing and the stretch.

Breathing Techniques for Increasing Lung Capacity

The trick to increasing your lung capacity is the exhale. 60% Of oxygenation happens in the bottom 40% of the lungs, which means you need a good, deep inhale for the air to hit that bottom section of your lungs; and in order to be able to do that, you need to exhale properly. Pursed lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing are two techniques that help increase lung capacity and get your lungs working more efficiently.

Health Benefits of High Altitude: Why to Take a Climb or Hike in the Mountains

Now you know how to prepare your lungs and body, but do you know the health benefits of going for a hike or climb at high altitudes?

According to a recent study from Greece, living in the mountains may protect against overall illness and heart-related deaths, likely due to increased physical activity and reduced oxygen intake.

A 1965–1972 study on 20,000 soldiers stationed at 3,692–5,538 meters found high altitudes unexpectedly improved conditions like asthma, diabetes, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal disease, and obesity, despite limited hygiene access and expectations of health decline.

It was also discovered that:

• Living above 1300 metres reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.
• Those living at higher altitudes are found to have better glucose tolerance compared with those near sea level.
• Spending time above 800M suppresses hunger and reduces obesity, ageing and circulatory problems.

There are a number of other benefits to spending time in the mountains, high above sea level:

You Become More Self Aware

 Reinhold Messner, who climbed Everest without oxygen in 1978, described mountaineering as a journey of self-discovery, contrasting his spiritual focus with Hillary’s goal of the summit.

Modern mountaineering shifts from conquering peaks to exploring inner depths, with extreme conditions fostering self-reflection and deeper connections to nature and others.

It Makes You Happier

Bhutan, a Himalayan nation, values its mountains deeply, preserving 72% of its land as forest and protecting peaks above 6,000 meters, like the sacred Gangkhar Puensum. The king introduced the Gross National Happiness index (GNH), prioritising sustainable development over GDP.

Recent GNH found that:

• 89% of residents reported normal mental wellbeing.
• 84% feel highly responsible for environmental conservation.
• 90% rate their health as very good or excellent.
• 74% feel a strong sense of community and belonging.

In addition, on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Mount Royal University studied the effects of nature’s experiences on caregivers and adults with disabilities. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with the participants reporting the following:

• Greater Sensory Activation
• Reimagined Social Relations
• Reinvented Self
• Lowered Depression

Decreases Stress and Improves Mental Health

Spending time in nature has proven to improve not only mental, but also physical health. One Japanese study showed that those who spent time in a natural environment compared to an urban area, showed the following effects:

• Lowered pulse rate.
• Lowered blood pressure.
• Reduced concentration of the stress hormone cortisol.
• Increased parasympathetic nerve activity*.
• Decreased sympathetic nerve activity.

*The results show the body experiences physiological relaxation when surrounded by nature and that these effects lasted for weeks after the experiment.

Some healthcare providers now refer to contact with nature as a therapeutic intervention to enhance recovery from conditions related to stress, including some types of depression. In Scotland, where Ben Nevis, the highest mountain of the British Isles resides, doctors can now write ‘nature’ as a prescription, encouraging patients to spend time outdoors for the many proven benefits as a drug-free solution to mental wellbeing.