Niraj NaikFounder & CEO of SOMA Breath | Music-Powered Breathwork Pioneer | DJ, Speaker & Author

Most people think it’s the nicotine that calms them. But it’s not, It’s the BREATH.

9 Mar 2026 · 0 min

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Niraj Naik explains why smoking feels calming: it's not the nicotine but the breathing pattern. The 2-1-4 rhythm (inhale 2 seconds, hold 1, exhale 4 through pursed lips) activates your vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. Three to five minutes daily produces the same relaxation without the cigarette.

What relaxation technique do smokers use without even realizing it? They breathe in for 2 seconds, hold for 1 second, and then breathe out for 4 seconds through pursed lips. If you breathe like this for 3 to 5 minutes a day, it actually really relaxes you because it turns on your vagus nerve and your parasympathetic nervous system. There's actually a breathing technique from yoga called slow rachaka.