Oxygen Advantage

Patrick McKeown and James Nestor meet face-to-face for the first time to discuss the science of breathing, functional breathing methods, and how nasal breathing transforms sleep, health, and well-being.
After years of correspondence—Zoom calls, Instagram Lives, emails, voice notes—they finally sit down together. What was meant to be one episode ran long. They kept talking well into dinner.

In This Episode:
00:44 Introduction and meeting face-to-face after years of correspondence
04:21 How the book almost became something completely different
08:48 Why breathing science has been overlooked by medicine
13:45 The role of the nose in breathing (and why it matters)
18:54 Revisiting the book and updating the science
23:40 CO2: Why it's essential for health, not just a waste gas
28:33 The challenge of getting people to actually change their breathing
35:09 Daily breathing habits and personal routines
44:29 The power of breathing less and its benefits
49:23 Nasal breathing as the foundation for health
52:21 Debunking myths: nose vs. mouth breathing
55:10 Why doctors and dentists resist breathing instruction
1:00:19 Breathing and spinal health (the scoliosis case)
1:04:13 Oral hygiene, mouth breathing, and dental development
1:09:01 How breathing transforms overall health
1:12:18 Sleep breathing and sleep tape discussion
1:14:04 Experimenting with sleep tape (personal experience)
1:30:08 The science and safety of sleep tape
1:35:06 Patrick demonstrates MyoTape and mouth puffing
1:40:11 Breathing instruction in mainstream adoption
1:44:00 James Nestor's documentary series announcement (Spring 2027)
1:49:26 Work-life balance and burnout in the breathing field
1:52:39 Deep creative work vs. external visibility demands
1:55:52 Managing workload and personal limits
1:57:17 Future plans and the documentary structure
2:01:30 Documentary modules: Actionable breathing instruction
2:04:34 Three-part series structure (kids, sleep, mental health)
2:05:11 Documentary launch and free access model
2:07:13 Global health impact and systemic change
2:10:02 Spring 2027 launch date and industry response
2:13:32 Future of breathing science and industry trends
2:15:12 Long-term outlook and industry evolution
2:16:43 The role of education in breathing health
2:18:26 Systemic change and personal responsibility
2:20:03 Final closing remarks and gratitude

TOPICS COVERED:
Functional breathing methods • CO2 physiology • Nasal breathing vs. mouth breathing • Sleep apnea and sleep quality • Scoliosis and postural breathing • Dental health and oral development • Why doctors overlook breathing instruction • Documentary series launching spring 2027

What if the key to running further, calmer, and healthier wasn't in your legs — but in your nose?
In this episode, Patrick McKeown sits down with Dr. Bill Hang: orthodontist, airway pioneer, and marathon runner approaching his 80th birthday.
After hearing Patrick speak 15 years ago, Bill made two decisions that changed his life — taping his mouth at night and running with his lips sealed.
He's since run the Boston Marathon multiple times breathing entirely through his nose, including once with his mouth taped the whole way.
But this conversation goes far beyond running. Dr. Hang shares why he walked away from traditional extraction orthodontics, how forward jaw development can transform a child's airway, and what every parent should know before agreeing to have their child's teeth removed.

Consistently Good, Not Occasionally Perfect: Nutrition, Habits & Breathing with Scott Baptie In this episode, Patrick McKeown sits down with nutritionist, author, and recipe creator Scott Baptie to explore simple, realistic nutrition, sustainable weight loss, and how breathing became the “missing piece” in Scott’s own health routine. They cover: Why simplicity and accessibility matter more than perfection in nutrition The real role of protein for satiety, recovery, and weight loss Why you can’t spot-reduce belly fat (and what actually works) The truth about supplements, including creatine and protein powder How habits and small steps beat short-term extreme diets The impact of sleep, stress, alcohol, and social media on food choices Scott’s personal experience with nasal breathing, mouth taping, VO₂ max gains, and Patrick’s work Work–life balance, outsourcing, and building a lifestyle you can actually sustain Whether you’re an athlete, a busy parent, or just trying to feel and perform better, this conversation gives you practical, down‑to‑earth strategies you can start applying today. ⏱ Timestamps / Chapters 0:00 – Intro: Who is Scott Baptie? 0:36 – Scott’s journey: from blog to nutrition career & fitness modeling 3:06 – Simplicity and accessibility in nutrition: the food hierarchy 6:33 – Why protein matters: appetite, recovery & weight loss 9:02 – Creatine, whey, and which supplements are actually worth it 11:49 – Belly fat, spot reduction myth & realistic fat loss expectations 16:06 – Scales vs how you feel: better ways to track progress 16:33 – Water, hydration & simple practical guidelines 18:27 – Finding your passion and evolving a career in nutrition 22:15 – Work–life balance, productivity & “work less, make more” 25:10 – Alcohol, moderation & individual differences in habits 28:17 – How breathing changed Scott’s health and performance 32:50 – VO₂ max, nasal breathing, mouth taping & tracking sleep 34:35 – Was switching to nasal breathing hard at the start? 36:10 – Mouth tape, beards & practical tweaks for better sleep 36:44 – Habits: why “consistently good” beats “occasionally perfect” 39:57 – Making change easy: what to eat more of, less of & how to do it 41:21 – Meal prep, slow cookers & freezer strategies for busy lives 42:27 – Tiredness, cravings & how poor sleep derails nutrition 44:37 – Sleep as a pillar: hygiene, environment & tracking 45:35 – Social media, attention, and protecting your mental bandwidth 47:50 – Generational shifts: who’s going to the gym now? 50:38 – Scott’s books, where to find him & free gift

Discover how modern life is radically reshaping the way we breathe. In this in‑depth conversation, Patrick McKeown (Oxygen Advantage) and Tom Myers (Anatomy Trains) explore the hidden links between our environment, posture, jaws, emotions, and breathing patterns. You’ll learn: - Why we’ve “made a zoo and now live in it” – and how tech, sitting, and urban living drive anxiety and dysfunctional breathing - How our genes, lifestyle, and domestication have literally narrowed our faces, jaws, and airways - The crucial difference between nasal vs mouth breathing for sleep, concentration, child development, and long‑term health - What the diaphragm really does (beyond the usual “belly breathing” story) and how tensegrity explains rib cage mechanics - Why so many children mouth breathe, snore, and struggle with attention – and what can be done to help them early - Practical, anatomy‑based insights into opening the nose, improving airway function, and restoring more natural breathing patterns If you’re interested in breathing, sleep, posture, airway health, fascia, or human performance, this episode offers a rare blend of deep anatomy and practical breathing wisdom. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Tom Myers’ background 3:30 “We made a zoo and now we live in it” – modern life & anxiety 6:40 Genes, laziness, and why our world lets us stop moving 8:10 Domestication, shrinking jaws & narrowing airways 10:00 Mouth breathing, sleep apnea & childhood development 15:00 Conscious vs unconscious breathing, sea mammals & humans 20:00 Tensegrity, rib cage mechanics & the diaphragm as a piston 31:00 Nasal vs mouth breathing, palate shape & deviated septum 40:00 Non‑surgical ways to help open the airway 45:00 Where breathing education needs to go next #OxygenAdvantage #PatrickMcKeown #TomMyers #AnatomyTrains #Breathing #Breathwork #NasalBreathing #MouthBreathing #SleepApnea #AirwayHealth #Posture #Anxiety #Fascia #Diaphragm #HumanPerformance #FunctionalBreathing #HolisticHealth #buteykobreathing #buteykomethod

What happens when an overactive mind, guilt, and addiction take over completely?

In this episode, Patrick McKeown speaks with John O’Hegarty about a life that moved from philosophy and curiosity… into addiction, bank robberies, prison — and eventually recovery through breath, movement, and meaning.

John shares, in a very real and unfiltered way, how addiction changed his thinking, how rationality disappeared, and how actions that once felt unthinkable became normal. He talks about the mindset behind it — not to justify it, but to help people understand what actually happens when someone is deep in that state.

They also explore what came after: how he rebuilt his life inside prison how meaning, structure, and movement became anchors and how breathing became a tool to create space from the mind

This is not just a story about addiction. It’s a conversation about the human mind, the need to escape it, and how we can learn to regulate it.

In this episode:
how addiction overrides rational thinking the “suspension of the voluntary mind”
prison, structure, and rebuilding from the inside
Viktor Frankl and the role of meaning
breathing and its effect on mental state
cold exposure and learning to tolerate discomfort
why so many people today struggle with overthinking

John now brings both lived experience and professional training to his work, supporting others through breathwork, movement, and recovery-focused practice.

📍 Connect with John O’Hegarty https://oxygenadvantage.com/pages/instructor/john_o_hegarty

Timestamps:
00:00 – Childhood & early curiosity
06:00 – Philosophy & Viktor Frankl
12:00 – The accident & start of addiction
16:00 – Bank robberies & mindset
21:00 – Prison & rebuilding
30:00 – Injury & discovering breathwork
36:00 – “The breath is the mind made visible”
43:00 – Cold exposure & presence
50:00 – Addiction & modern overstimulation
56:00 – Working with others today

Listener note: This episode includes discussion of addiction, trauma, criminal behaviour, incarceration, and mental health. Some parts are raw and personal. Please listen with care and take what feels helpful.

More from Oxygen Advantage®: Breathing programs, instructor training & resources www.oxygenadvantage.com