Happy New year Rapa-People. I was hoping I could get some help on creating a list of your favorite BioHacks. I have enjoyed learning so much over the year on some habits / Hacks that I was not familiar - Blood Flow restriction exercise was one of my favorites especially since my background in undergrad was exercise science and strength and conditioning. Here are a few to get the list started that I have tried or want to try.
I would add “mouth taping” to the list. I started using this hack as I found my mouth breathing during the dry winter heating system waking me often to take a drink. I found it phenomenal for oral health and better sleep. I would rank it close to #1 in my own personal biohack list. Apparently mouth taping has become trendy on some social media sites. But I wouldn’t let that dissuade anyone. 3M (Nexcare Gentle Paper First Aid Tape) makes a nice product with no residue left over after taking the tape off. This hack, in my case, also helps minimize snoring. It might be a difficult hack for those with sinus issues. But it cost pennies to try and so simple and not too invasive!
Much agreement on mouthtaping. I found mouthtaping at night (and consciously nose-breathing the rest of the time) to be a powerful general health improvement–better sleep, skin, moisture, etc. Who knew that better oxygen processing could be so systemically good for a body?
FWIW, I tried many different tapes, and finally settled on simple transparent Scotch tape. YMMV, natch, just know that there are varying preferences. I tape from philtrum straight down across lips to above chin. Once you become accustomed, a hint is all you need.
Get an oxygen concentrator and breath{using a nadel cannula with a humidifier bubbler bottle attached] oxygen concentration 90-94% at night while you sleep.
This has been discussed in other threads on this forum.
Here are a few additional things I do daily, but I don’t really know if they’re considered “biohacking” type stuff. I mainly do them to become a bit les fearful of discomfort/minor pain/unfamiliar situations.
holding breath as long as possible. A year ago I could barely do 60 seconds, now I can do 120 seconds.
headstand for 60 seconds (with a yoga headstand thingy)
I’ve used mouthtape (Amazon-butterfly type is great) for a year and found it to be restful and since I know I snore some now, it makes me a quiet roommate on family vacations. No dry mouth or throat either anymore. Wish my hubs would use it; his snoring is earthshaking.
My husband normally snores too and was advised by several doctors to have a sleep study. He refused so we inclined our bed in early 2019 and it’s helped tremendously. The only drawback is that it’s a bummer to sleep flat now when we go on vacation. We’ve even taken bed risers on trips when space has permitted a couple times. I used to try to get him to do various things for his health to no avail but this is one of the few things that he agreed to try and has stuck with and I imagine mouth taping would be an excellent addition to sleeping inclined.
