Medicine Overlooked: Breathing is Determined by 'Quality' Not 'Quantity'
Toratani Co., Ltd. has published a research report focusing on the 'quality' of breathing during sleep. Based on its own measurement data and physiological knowledge, the report explains the impact of breathing depth and stability on the internal environment, suggesting the company's bedding may improve breathing quality.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 4, 2026 at 10:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 4, 2026 at 10:34 (34 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 23:41 (61h 7m after Collected)
Toratani Co., Ltd. (Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture) is publishing a report that organizes the effects of the 'quality' of breathing on bodily functions, as part of an internal project investigating the breathing environment during sleep.
This document combines existing physiological knowledge with the company's own respiratory measurement data to clearly explain changes in the body from the perspective of breathing quality. It is not a presentation of research results but content aimed at deepening consumers' understanding.
■ Breathing is Determined by 'Quality', Not 'Quantity'
There is a '3-3-3 rule' for human life. You can live about 3 weeks without food, about 3 days without water, but if your breathing stops, you are in critical danger within 3 minutes.
Despite its importance, many modern people focus only on 'food and drink' and do not know how greatly the 'quality of breathing' affects the body.
Breathing quality refers to the comprehensive function including depth, stability, balance of inhalation and exhalation, and thoracic mobility.
■ We Spend One-Third of Our Lives Sleeping
Few people are aware of what is happening in their bodies during that time. Medicine and sleep science have not issued sufficient warnings.
During sleep, due to the body's structure, the following conditions occur in everyone:
・Unable to notice even if feeling breathless
・Unable to notice even if breathing stops
・Unable to notice even if shallow breathing continues
This is because consciousness does not function during sleep, making it impossible to perceive changes in breathing. Technically, this is called sleep hypopnea and is said to be a cause of hidden oxygen deficiency.
■ Why Do Modern People Breathe Shallowly Regardless of Sleeping Posture?
The reason is that the body structure itself restricts breathing during sleep. This is not limited to sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) or snoring; it happens to everyone.
■ When Lying Down, Gravity Changes by '90 Degrees' (Structural Reason)
When standing, gravity works in the vertical direction, putting tension on muscles and airways. However, when lying down, gravity changes direction by '90 degrees' to the anteroposterior direction.
This change is the main factor that weakens the function of muscles and airways, making breathing shallower during sleep.
Specifically:
- The weight of internal organs presses down on the diaphragm
- The trachea and respiratory muscles relax (decreased muscle tone during sleep)
- Thoracic movement becomes opposite to the direction of gravity
- The angle of the head and neck is easily affected by gravity
- Base of tongue collapse always occurs (jaw relaxation, mouth opening)
- Changes in the sacral angle restrict breathing in conjunction with the thorax
■ Decline in Breathing Quality
Breathing quality → Internal environment → Affects organ function.
Breathing quality (depth, stability) ⇒ Internal environment (autonomic nervous system, oxygen, CO₂, NO, hormones, immunity) ⇒ Organ function (blood vessels, blood pressure, gastrointestinal tract, sleep, mental health). Medicine does not discuss the most important things.
Just changing the content of breathing can significantly affect the internal environment, potentially having a major impact on physical condition and health.
■ What is the Internal Environment?
When breathing quality is optimized, the first thing that changes in the body is the internal environment.
The internal environment refers to 'bodily functions' such as the autonomic nervous system, oxygen, CO₂, NO, hormones, and immunity.
These are formless 'functions', not organs themselves, but rather like 'software' that drives the organs.
■ 'Physiological Consequences' When the Internal Environment is Optimized
- Blood vessels become more flexible (NO)
- Blood pressure tends to decrease (autonomic nervous system)
- Gastrointestinal tract becomes stronger (vagus nerve)
- Sleep becomes deeper (stable breathing)
- Headaches become less frequent (reduced oxygen fluctuation)
- Mental state becomes more stable (autonomic nervous system)
- Physical discomfort becomes less likely
These cannot be directly created by medication. They are 'physiological consequences' that occur naturally 'when the internal environment is optimized'.
■ How Shallow Does Breathing Actually Become During Sleep?
We measured breathing during sleep to confirm how much breathing quality changes. *Measurement was performed in a supine position while awake.
Visualizing Breathing Quality: ResMo × aams Actual Measurement Data
The company visualized the 'quantity' and 'quality' of breathing using ResMo (respiratory volume) and aams (respiratory quality).
● Respiratory rate (quantity): General flat bedding: 18 breaths/min. Toratani bedding: 12 breaths/min → approx. 33% improvement
● Breathing depth (quantity): General flat bedding: 100. Toratani bedding: 145 → approx. 45% improvement
Breathing quality is optimized when the respiratory rate is lower and depth is greater, allowing for proper CO₂ elimination and oxygen uptake.
Real-time breathing content with aams (respiratory quality). The length of inhalation and exhalation is visualized; the longer the exhalation, the easier it is for the diaphragm to stimulate the vagus nerve (parasympathetic nervous system).
At the upstream of vitality is breathing quality, and the company continuously measures breathing during sleep to understand its actual state.
Survey Overview
[Survey Overview]
・Survey period: April 2024 - May 2026
・Survey organization (lead): Toratani Co., Ltd.
・Survey subjects: Adult men and women (20-65 years old)
・Valid sample size: 11 subjects
・Survey method: Using the ResMo telemetry biological signal measurement device and aams respiratory analysis system, respiratory rate, breathing depth, thoracic mobility, I:E ratio, and respiratory waveform were measured, comparing conditions between regular bedding and the company's bedding.
In Conclusion
Breathing is determined by 'quality', not 'quantity'. And breathing quality is the 'entrance' to optimizing the body's internal environment.
When the internal environment is optimized, blood vessels, blood pressure, gastrointestinal tract, sleep, mental health—the function of all organs naturally improves.
The company will continue its efforts to visualize breathing quality and deepen consumers' understanding of health.
[Closing]
Medicine excels at treating things 'after they break', but it is up to us to optimize the 'internal environment before it breaks'.
The company focuses on the mechanism where 'breathing naturally deepens with just a slight physical load on the body'.
When breathing is optimized, oxygen, blood flow, and microcirculation open up, and the foundations of life—sleep, metabolism, immunity—quietly improve.
The company will continue to disseminate information on the relationship between airway structure, sleeping posture, and breathing.
[Company Information]
Toratani Co., Ltd.
Representative: Ikuo Toratani
Location: Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business: ・Planning, manufacturing, and sales of shorts (apparel) ・Research on breathing, oxygen environment, and body structure during sleep ・Development of bedding and related technologies
Features: Applying the three-dimensional structure technology cultivated in shorts development, holds multiple patents for peripheral technologies to maintain the linkage of the head, neck, and thorax
Official website: https://www.toratani.jp
This document combines existing physiological knowledge with the company's own respiratory measurement data to clearly explain changes in the body from the perspective of breathing quality. It is not a presentation of research results but content aimed at deepening consumers' understanding.
■ Breathing is Determined by 'Quality', Not 'Quantity'
There is a '3-3-3 rule' for human life. You can live about 3 weeks without food, about 3 days without water, but if your breathing stops, you are in critical danger within 3 minutes.
Despite its importance, many modern people focus only on 'food and drink' and do not know how greatly the 'quality of breathing' affects the body.
Breathing quality refers to the comprehensive function including depth, stability, balance of inhalation and exhalation, and thoracic mobility.
■ We Spend One-Third of Our Lives Sleeping
Few people are aware of what is happening in their bodies during that time. Medicine and sleep science have not issued sufficient warnings.
During sleep, due to the body's structure, the following conditions occur in everyone:
・Unable to notice even if feeling breathless
・Unable to notice even if breathing stops
・Unable to notice even if shallow breathing continues
This is because consciousness does not function during sleep, making it impossible to perceive changes in breathing. Technically, this is called sleep hypopnea and is said to be a cause of hidden oxygen deficiency.
■ Why Do Modern People Breathe Shallowly Regardless of Sleeping Posture?
The reason is that the body structure itself restricts breathing during sleep. This is not limited to sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) or snoring; it happens to everyone.
■ When Lying Down, Gravity Changes by '90 Degrees' (Structural Reason)
When standing, gravity works in the vertical direction, putting tension on muscles and airways. However, when lying down, gravity changes direction by '90 degrees' to the anteroposterior direction.
This change is the main factor that weakens the function of muscles and airways, making breathing shallower during sleep.
Specifically:
- The weight of internal organs presses down on the diaphragm
- The trachea and respiratory muscles relax (decreased muscle tone during sleep)
- Thoracic movement becomes opposite to the direction of gravity
- The angle of the head and neck is easily affected by gravity
- Base of tongue collapse always occurs (jaw relaxation, mouth opening)
- Changes in the sacral angle restrict breathing in conjunction with the thorax
■ Decline in Breathing Quality
Breathing quality → Internal environment → Affects organ function.
Breathing quality (depth, stability) ⇒ Internal environment (autonomic nervous system, oxygen, CO₂, NO, hormones, immunity) ⇒ Organ function (blood vessels, blood pressure, gastrointestinal tract, sleep, mental health). Medicine does not discuss the most important things.
Just changing the content of breathing can significantly affect the internal environment, potentially having a major impact on physical condition and health.
■ What is the Internal Environment?
When breathing quality is optimized, the first thing that changes in the body is the internal environment.
The internal environment refers to 'bodily functions' such as the autonomic nervous system, oxygen, CO₂, NO, hormones, and immunity.
These are formless 'functions', not organs themselves, but rather like 'software' that drives the organs.
■ 'Physiological Consequences' When the Internal Environment is Optimized
- Blood vessels become more flexible (NO)
- Blood pressure tends to decrease (autonomic nervous system)
- Gastrointestinal tract becomes stronger (vagus nerve)
- Sleep becomes deeper (stable breathing)
- Headaches become less frequent (reduced oxygen fluctuation)
- Mental state becomes more stable (autonomic nervous system)
- Physical discomfort becomes less likely
These cannot be directly created by medication. They are 'physiological consequences' that occur naturally 'when the internal environment is optimized'.
■ How Shallow Does Breathing Actually Become During Sleep?
We measured breathing during sleep to confirm how much breathing quality changes. *Measurement was performed in a supine position while awake.
Visualizing Breathing Quality: ResMo × aams Actual Measurement Data
The company visualized the 'quantity' and 'quality' of breathing using ResMo (respiratory volume) and aams (respiratory quality).
● Respiratory rate (quantity): General flat bedding: 18 breaths/min. Toratani bedding: 12 breaths/min → approx. 33% improvement
● Breathing depth (quantity): General flat bedding: 100. Toratani bedding: 145 → approx. 45% improvement
Breathing quality is optimized when the respiratory rate is lower and depth is greater, allowing for proper CO₂ elimination and oxygen uptake.
Real-time breathing content with aams (respiratory quality). The length of inhalation and exhalation is visualized; the longer the exhalation, the easier it is for the diaphragm to stimulate the vagus nerve (parasympathetic nervous system).
At the upstream of vitality is breathing quality, and the company continuously measures breathing during sleep to understand its actual state.
Survey Overview
[Survey Overview]
・Survey period: April 2024 - May 2026
・Survey organization (lead): Toratani Co., Ltd.
・Survey subjects: Adult men and women (20-65 years old)
・Valid sample size: 11 subjects
・Survey method: Using the ResMo telemetry biological signal measurement device and aams respiratory analysis system, respiratory rate, breathing depth, thoracic mobility, I:E ratio, and respiratory waveform were measured, comparing conditions between regular bedding and the company's bedding.
In Conclusion
Breathing is determined by 'quality', not 'quantity'. And breathing quality is the 'entrance' to optimizing the body's internal environment.
When the internal environment is optimized, blood vessels, blood pressure, gastrointestinal tract, sleep, mental health—the function of all organs naturally improves.
The company will continue its efforts to visualize breathing quality and deepen consumers' understanding of health.
[Closing]
Medicine excels at treating things 'after they break', but it is up to us to optimize the 'internal environment before it breaks'.
The company focuses on the mechanism where 'breathing naturally deepens with just a slight physical load on the body'.
When breathing is optimized, oxygen, blood flow, and microcirculation open up, and the foundations of life—sleep, metabolism, immunity—quietly improve.
The company will continue to disseminate information on the relationship between airway structure, sleeping posture, and breathing.
[Company Information]
Toratani Co., Ltd.
Representative: Ikuo Toratani
Location: Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business: ・Planning, manufacturing, and sales of shorts (apparel) ・Research on breathing, oxygen environment, and body structure during sleep ・Development of bedding and related technologies
Features: Applying the three-dimensional structure technology cultivated in shorts development, holds multiple patents for peripheral technologies to maintain the linkage of the head, neck, and thorax
Official website: https://www.toratani.jp
FAQ
What exactly is breathing quality?
It refers to the comprehensive function including depth, stability, balance of inhalation and exhalation, and thoracic mobility.
Why does breathing become shallow during sleep?
Lying down changes the direction of gravity, causing internal organs to press on the diaphragm and other structural factors that restrict breathing.
How does Toratani's bedding improve breathing quality?
By applying 3D structure technology from shorts manufacturing, it maintains the linkage of the head, neck, and thorax, allowing breathing to deepen naturally.