Two New York doctors, Patricia Gerbarg and Richard Brown, carried out two studies, gathered in a New York Times bestseller, written by journalist James Nestor titled, “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.” The doctors concluded that the most efficient breathing was when patients inhaled for 5.5 seconds and exhaled for 5.5 seconds, breathing between 5 and 6 times per minute.

Although it’s true that it’s well-known in the Church that praying the Rosary is a practice with many spiritual blessings, science now recognizes that it is also a source  physical health as it helps to breathe correctly, having very positive consequences for the flow of blood and the nervous system.

Researchers of the University of Pavia in Italy, came to this conclusion in a 2001 study published by the British Medical Journal in which they carried out the test with 23 healthy participants, placing sensors to measure the cardiac frequency, blood flow and feedback of the nervous system while they recited the Rosary in Latin, the official language of the Church, some reciting the first part and others the response.

The sensors registered a slowdown in the participants’ breathing, which caused the flow of blood to the brain and the variability  of the cardiac frequency to begin to increase. This helped the heart and the nervous system to function with their greatest efficiency. In addition to being surprising, the results were very evident, as when the participants began to speak again and breathe normally, this tendency began to be reverted.

A decade later, in 2013, two New York doctors, Patricia Gerbarg and Richard Brown, carried out two studies gathered in a New York Times bestseller, written by Journalist James Nestor entitled “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.” They concluded that the most efficient breathing was when patients inhaled for 5.5 seconds and exhaled for 5.5 seconds, breathing between 5 and 6 times per minute.

These studies helped survivors of September 11, who suffered a chronic cough from staying in the rubble. They improved significantly with this method. They discovered that practicing this breathing for ten minutes a  day, had surprising effects.

Stemming from the different analyses of pulmonary researches, Nestor concluded that this “perfect breath” turned out to be the root of health, happiness and longevity. He also found that this technique was found in spiritual practices worldwide, especially in the Rosary.

Although at present this breathing pattern is taught in different ways, through applications or postures, the Rosary, in addition to being an excellent spiritual practice, has benefits for our health without realizing it, or having to think about it.

 An excellent resolution for this new year would be to pray the Rosary, including daily if possible, given that, although we limit ourselves to describing the physical benefit of this practice, above all it nourishes the soul and science now also corroborates that it gives physical health, enabling us to attain peace and mental balance in the midst of a fast-moving world.