No more holding the breath: THIS is the method that can actually REVEAL one's respiratory health

Time of India

17 hours ago

The Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT) represents a short scientific assessment, which measures your breathing efficiency together with carbon dioxide (CO₂) tolerance. The test delivers basic but useful information, regarding your breathing status, oxygen utilisation and your capacity to handle carbon dioxide accumulation, which determines your energy levels and stress resilience and focus.
What is the Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT)
The BOLT test measures how long you can safely maintain breath after exhaling, before feeling compelled to breathe. The standardised test offers an authentic assessment of your breathing efficiency, and CO₂ tolerance beyond random breath-holding attempts. The test requires no specific location, since you can perform it anywhere, and takes approximately a few minutes to complete.
The following steps outline the BOLT test procedure:
Choose a peaceful location, then sit up straight with proper posture.
Normal breathing should occur through your nose while maintaining relaxed breathing patterns.
After exhaling normally, you should pinch your nose to stop breathing.
Start counting from when you start keeping your breath inside your body.
Maintain your breath until the first breathing signal appears which includes throat tickle sensations, chest tightening, or diaphragmatic contractions.
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Stop the timer immediately upon noticing the urge, and then return to regular breathing patterns.
Take note of the total seconds you managed to hold your breath, before starting to breathe normally.
Repeat the test two more times, then calculate the average of the three readings to determine your BOLT score.
Why does the BOLT score matter
The process of holding one's breath following exhalation, causes lung oxygen levels to decrease, while carbon dioxide concentrations increase.
Your brain receives the primary signal to initiate breathing, through the buildup of carbon dioxide. The duration of your comfortable breath-holding period, reveals your ventilatory response and CO₂ tolerance.
Short breath-holding durations indicate your body reacts strongly to CO₂, which leads to faster breathing with potentially shallow breaths. This condition often connects to stress situations and anxiety together, with dysfunctional breathing patterns.
A longer breath-hold time, indicates your body demonstrates high CO₂ tolerance through efficient and well-regulated breathing, which optimises cell oxygen delivery, and promotes overall relaxation.
What does your BOLT score mean
BOLT scores under 10 seconds show poor CO₂ tolerance along with inadequate breathing efficiency. This can point to stress and anxiety, that can improve through breathwork techniques.
The score range from 10 to 20 seconds indicates average respiratory function, together with moderate breath control. However, your breathing control needs development, because stress situations can lead to irregular breathing patterns.
The score range between 20 to 40 seconds indicates both effective breathing efficiency, and strong CO₂ tolerance. Your body uses this breathing pattern to maintain stable energy levels while boosting endurance.
A breath-holding capacity exceeding 40 seconds, demonstrates top-tier respiratory control together with nervous system optimisation. People who achieve this score, demonstrate superior resilience and maximum performance potential.
What advantages does a higher BOLT score provide to users
A higher BOLT score indicates improved breathing efficiency, which enables your body to use oxygen more efficiently while tolerating higher CO₂ concentrations. This can lead to:
Enhanced energy levels
Better stress resilience and calmer nervous system function
Improved focus and mental clarity
Greater physical endurance and stamina
More restful sleep and reduced fatigue
The practice of specific breathing exercises that generate a gentle "air hunger" sensation, followed by controlled breath-hold increases BOLT scores during several months of practice. Regular breathing practice breaks the pattern of excessive breathing (excessive breathing beyond physical requirements) which affects stressed or anxious individuals.
Sources
How to do a BOLT Score Test and what it means, BodyMindBrain.co.uk
How to Measure Your BOLT Score, Oxygen Advantage
Improve Your BOLT Score for Optimal Health, The Breath Coach