Niraj Naik

What Niraj talked about

Niraj Naik discussed breathwork as a tool for triggering intermittent hypoxia, arguing that breath holds of 60 to 90 seconds place a beneficial stress on the body that renews mitochondria and releases stem cells, contrasting this with what he called the 'fat and lazy' state mitochondria fall into under constant oxygen supply. He traced his interest in the field back to being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2010, an illness that left him housebound for nearly a year.

He described his program, Soma Breath's 21-Day Awakening Journey, as having been studied by Cambridge researchers and as producing altered-state experiences he said were comparable to those from psilocybin, including feelings of oneness and connection. He explained how rhythmic breathing paired with music and breath retention is intended to produce a combination of neurochemicals he refers to as ADOSE (anandamide, dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins), and discussed how nostril dominance relates to shifting between relaxation and focus.

The show

The Total Entrepreneur is a weekly conversation with founders, researchers, and health experts about what actually moves entrepreneurial performance across mind, body, spirit, and business.