Ploughing through emails can give you a sense of satisfaction and reduce your mental load; but next time you have a lot to catch up on, check in with your body and your breath. Are you holding your breath while emailing?

Research suggests that the act of emailing can literally take your breath away, robbing the brain of the vital oxygen it needs to function properly. In fact, 80 per cent of people are thought to suffer from ‘email apnoea,’ a phrase coined by Linda Stone, a writer for the Huffington Post.

What is Apnoea?

Apnoea is usually associated with sleeping and is characterized by a sudden pause in breathing – and snoring. This common condition not only wreaks havoc on your sleep (and possibly relationships) but on your health too.

Shallow breathing, shorter life?

In one recent Spanish study, researchers found that people with severe sleep apnoea had a 65 percent (almost two-thirds) greater risk of developing various types of cancer.

They discovered the missing link was oxygen. After following 5,200 people for seven years they found that the more oxygen depletion participants experienced at night, the more likely a patient would be diagnosed with cancer during the study. *In my book Mum’s Not Having Chemo, I cover this subject in depth, including therapies to increase cellular oxygen.  

Research also suggests sleep apnoea leads to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

While there are therapies for sleep apnoea (holistic orthodontists might suggest natural enhancement of the airways), for ‘email apnoea’ it’s more simple. Put a timer on your phone check in with your breathing every 30 minutes. My preference is ‘square breathing,’ breathing in for a count of four, holding for four, breathing out for four and holding for four.

5 More Ways to Oxygenate your Body

• Exercise: ‘One of the best ways to oxygenate the body is by exercising,’ says integrative oncologist Dr Thomas Lodi. Going for a run, doing a few downward dogs or jumping on a mini tramp not only floods your body with oxygen but it alsostimulates your lymphatic system – vital for removing toxins from the body – and helps de-clutter your mind, giving it a chance to re-set before it’s reloaded.
• Drink your greens: A potent green cocktail floods the body with vital enzymes, antioxidants and chlorophyll – which improves oxygen transport throughout the body.
• Reduce Stress:  ‘Stress will cause you to take shallow breaths,’ explains New York- based cancer researcher Dr Kelly Turner. ‘After ten years of intense stress, you’ve got cells that have been starved of oxygen enough that their mitochondria might be damaged.’ Dr Turner thinks we can learn a lot from babies: ‘They take these beautiful belly breaths – they sleep a lot, they take naps, they’re not working all day and they’re moving,’ she says.
• Download iBreath: This app monitors breathing and displays optimal breathing rates. Slower deeper breathing not only switches on the parasympathetic nervous system (think rest and digest) it can also help alkalise the body.