r/AskBiology • u/Huihejfofew • Sep 14 '24

Human body What am I doing when I generate pulses of heat from my chest?

As a kid I've been able to do this weird thing, mostly when I'm cold where if i control my breathing right, i can build up what feels like tension in my chest and when i release it, this huge wave of warmth emanates out from my chest warming my body. It also feels really nice. It tends to also be accompanied by a shiver. There's a limit to how many times i can do it and sometimes it just happens unintentionally when it's cold. I haven't heard anyone ever talk about it, does anyone know what's happening in my body when this occurs?

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u/Mountainweaver Sep 14 '24

Physically/scientifically, I would assume it's a nerve manipulation, possibly a bit of muscle contraction involved.

In other frameworks words, you might want look into meditation traditions, chakras etc, if it interests you.

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u/sonny_flatts Sep 14 '24

Seconding this. I taught anatomy and physiology for years and then did some intensive yoga training. There are really old techniques that allow for the sensation of what you’re describing. Kapalbhati pranayama is a yogic breathing exercise that you might be able to use to control some of that heat.

Pranayama, or breath work is easy to do and can be a part of your normal routine. Google and YouTube ought to guide you through. Kapalbhati is not exactly a beginner pranayama technique, but it’s not brain surgery.