13/04/2026
So let’s test yours right now. This is called your BOLT score — Body Oxygen Level Test.
Here’s what you do:
Sit comfortably. Take a normal breath in through your nose, a normal breath out — then gently hold after the exhale and start your timer.
You’re not holding as long as you can. You’re just waiting for the first urge to breathe. A slight flutter in your diaphragm. A swallow. That desire to inhale.
Stop the timer. Breathe normally through your nose.
That number is your BOLT score.
Here’s what it means:
Under 10 seconds — your body is in a high stress state. Over-breathing is likely affecting your sleep, your pain levels, your nervous system.
10 to 20 seconds — dysregulated. Common, but not optimal.
20 to 30 seconds — you’re getting there. Better tolerance, more stability.
Above 30 seconds — your nervous system is regulated, calm, and functioning well.
Most people are much lower than they expect.
And the goal isn’t perfection — it’s improvement. Because as your BOLT score improves, your body becomes less reactive, more resilient, and far less driven by chronic stress.
