Immunity is determined by 'precision of control,' not 'strength'—the root cause lies in breathing during sleep.

The Relationship Between Breathing During Sleep and Immunity

Toratani Corporation officially established an internal study group in May 2026 as part of its 'Night Oxygen Flow Project,' which researches respiratory infrastructure during sleep. The group is systematically reviewing existing knowledge regarding how shallow breathing during sleep impacts immune function and control balance.

This release is published as an explanatory column summarizing the background knowledge and is not a research report indicating statistical significance.

While the term 'strengthening immunity' is commonly used, immunity is not something that can be trained like muscles. Many immune-related diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, rheumatism, type 1 diabetes, and scleroderma, are not considered to be caused by 'excessive immune strength.'

Rather, they involve attacking what should not be attacked and causing inflammation in unnecessary situations—essentially a disorder in the immune system's 'control system.'

It is said that for immunity, 'precision of control'—functioning only when necessary and remaining quiet otherwise—is more important than 'strength.' Normal immune regulation requires an adequate supply of oxygen to immune cells.

### Immune regulation is susceptible to breathing and oxygen

Since immune cells use oxygen to function, their activity is considered more stable when oxygen is sufficiently supplied. When breathing is shallow and oxygen is insufficient, the body may incorrectly perceive a 'danger,' leading to increased sympathetic nerve activity, which can cause the immune system to react in unnecessary situations. This state is often associated with the worsening of inflammation in conditions such as atopic dermatitis and rheumatism.

### Blood flow does not equal health

While people often say 'better blood flow boosts immunity,' blood flow is just a 'flow,' and health is not determined by that alone. The deep blood flow is believed to be driven by the movement of the thoracic cavity and the depth of breathing. External stimulation mainly affects superficial blood flow, and its impact on deep blood flow and oxygen supply, which are related to immune control, is considered limited.

### Shallow breathing at night can disturb immune control

Shallow breathing → Insufficient oxygen → Increased sympathetic nerve activity → Body misinterprets as 'danger' → Immune system reacts unnecessarily.

This sequence is cited as the background for the tendency for immune control to become disordered.

Conclusion

Immunity is not something to be 'strengthened'; its essence is 'precision of control.' Disorder in this control leads to conditions like atopic dermatitis, rheumatism, and type 1 diabetes. Blood flow and the autonomic nervous system are merely 'side effects' that appear as a result, and their background is potentially tied to breathing and oxygen environments.

The root cause is 'breathing depth and oxygen supply.' Breathing during sleep, in particular, determines the direction of immunity.

References and Evidence

The background for 'breathing during sleep,' 'hypoxia,' 'autonomic nerves,' and 'cardiovascular risk' mentioned in this release is supported by international academic research, including studies by Davidson TM (2003), Isono S (2012), Somers VK et al. (1995), and Lévy P et al. (2011).

While medicine excels at healing 'after things break,' only we can maintain the 'internal environment before things break.' The uppermost stream of this is the 'quality of breathing' that continues unconsciously. Toratani focuses on mechanisms that naturally deepen breathing through slight physical loads on the body, using expertise in 3D apparel structural design to research ways to improve the foundation for breathing, oxygen, blood flow, microcirculation, sleep, metabolism, and immunity.