411

Intelligent Control of Breathing, Humming, and Stopping to Think


If you enjoy listening, you can listen to dozens of past episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible 😊

Reminder for Instructors:

Don’t forget to sign up for the free 5-day email series: Help More People by Avoiding These 5 Mistakes Holding Back Your Breathing and Mindfulness Coaching


Reading Time: 1 min 34 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Intelligent Control of Breathing

“An intelligent control of our breathing power will lengthen our days upon earth by giving us increased vitality and powers of resistance, and, on the other hand, unintelligent and careless breathing will tend to shorten our days, by decreasing our vitality and laying us open to disease.”

– Yogi Ramacharaka, Science of Breath

Just a simple (but always welcomed) reminder of the power of our breath. By using it intelligently—which often means nasal, slower, deeper, and quieter—it can help us lengthen our days and support our vitality and resilience 👏

2. The Power of Humming

“Bhramari pranayama practice is found to be associated with higher levels of attention, quality of sleep, parasympathetic activity and pulmonary functioning and lower levels of stress, anxiety, depression, sympathetic activity and blood pressure across the included studies.”

- Exploring the Health Benefits of Bhramari Pranayama (2024)

This paper provides a well-rounded look at the evidence supporting bhramari as a formal breath practice. As you can see from the quote, the findings showed a wide range of impressive health benefits.

Read the full paper for more, or get my review and practical takeaways when you become a member of the Breath Learning Center.

3. Three Short Thoughts on Mindful Breathing

1. Breathing saves your life 20,000 times a day; mindfulness helps you appreciate this truth.

2. Breathing, with awareness, is gratitude.

3. The shortest definition of mindfulness is breath.

4. I Dare Not Stop…

“Someone once said, ‘I dare not stop to think, because if I did, I wouldn’t know how to get started again.’”

– Anthony de Mello, Awareness

Just a funny quote on how hard it can be to pause sometimes. But let us take it as a reminder that occasionally “stopping to think” may actually help us start back even better.


1 Quote

The important thing is not to worry about what is going to happen to us but to create inner strength to deal with whatever does happen.”
— Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

1 Answer

Category: Lung Connections

Answer: The existence of this two-way communication system between the gut and lungs suggests that breathing-related factors may influence the gut microbiota.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the gut-lung axis?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

Enjoy these posts? Donate to say thanks!

P.S. little secret about me

Smarter Coaching. Stronger Practice. Lasting Impact.

Being a great coach or practitioner isn’t just about knowing more, it’s about being a Mixed Mindful Artist: applying the right knowledge in the right way.

The Breath Learning Center gives you concise, practical, and powerful tools to do this, deepening your understanding, strengthening your coaching, and transforming your practice—without fluff or overwhelm.

Get Started Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

On Breathing, Moving & Stillness, and Taking an Instant Vacation


If you enjoy listening, you can listen to dozens of past episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible 😊

Reminder for Coaches:

Don’t forget to sign up for the free 5-day email series: Help More People by Avoiding These 5 Mistakes Holding Back Your Breathing and Mindfulness Coaching



Reading Time: 1 min 17 sec

I hope the next 16’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. On Breathing No Longer Being Just Breathing

“Once you start meditating, breathing is no longer just breathing. When we start paying attention to our breathing on a regular basis, our relationship to it changes dramatically. As we have already seen, tuning in to it helps us to gather our often unfocused energies and center ourselves. The breath reminds us to tune in to our body and to encounter the rest of our experience with mindfulness, in this very moment.

– Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living

2. On How Being Around Water (or nature) Enhances Your Practice

“Water’s amazing influence does not mean that it displaces other concerted efforts to reach a mindful state; rather, it adds to, enhances, and expands.

“This is the huge advantage of water: you don’t need to meditate to take advantage of its healing effects because it meditates you.”

– Wallace J Nichols, Blue Mind

3. On Moving to Find Stillness

1. “We need to move to be still, and only from that place of stillness can we move well.” – Caroline Williams

2. “Without a balance between physical activity and meditation, for instance, we may become irritable or restless. Exercise…can help to solve some of the problems that come as you descend in consciousness.” – Eknath Easwaran

3. “In order to understand the dance, one must be still. And in order to truly understand stillness, one must dance.” – Attributed to Rumi

4. On Vacation (and the best breathing exercise)

“Laughter is an instant vacation.”

– Milton Berle


1 Quote

As the breath goes, so goes the body.”
— Larry Rosenberg

1 Answer

Category: Lung Adaptations in Marine Mammals

Answer: To prevent decompression sickness (the “bends”) during deep dives, some marine mammals have the ability to do this to their lungs.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is collapse their lungs?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. but there are downsides too

Smarter Coaching. Stronger Practice. Lasting Impact.

Being a great coach or practitioner isn’t just about knowing more, it’s about being a Mixed Mindful Artist: applying the right knowledge in the right way.

The Breath Learning Center gives you concise, practical, and powerful tools to do this, deepening your understanding, strengthening your coaching, and transforming your practice—without fluff or overwhelm.

Get Started Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

How to Solve Complex Problems, Your Path, and Focusing on Joy


No Audio this Week

If you enjoy listening, you can listen to dozens of past episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible 😊

Reminder for Coaches:

Don’t forget to sign up for the free 5-day email series: Help Real People Get Real Results by Avoiding These 5 Mistakes



Reading Time: 1 min 34 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. On Finding Your Own Path

“You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there’s a way or path, it is someone else’s path; each human being is a unique phenomenon. The idea is to find your own pathway to bliss.”

– Joseph Campbell, Pathways to Bliss

2. Complex Problems, Simple Solutions

“Many fall into the trap of thinking that if they have a complex or debilitating problem, then they need a complex or difficult solution, one that takes time and energy to apply. Since they expect the solution to take effort, they overlook the easy suggestions and focus only on the difficult techniques, or those they haven’t heard or used before.

The truth is, if you have a big or complex problem, then more than likely you need a simple and easy solution—one that is easy to apply and that you are encouraged to apply.”

– Kam Knight, Concentration

A wonderful reminder that just because a problem is complex doesn’t mean the solution has to be. Most times, it’s the simple things—breathing, meditating, walking, laughing—that help the most 👏

3. Three Short Breath-Focused Quotes

1. “Be devoted to the breath and renounce everything else.”

– Eugene Cash

2. “The quality of our breath expresses our inner feelings.”

– TKV Desikachar

3. “Walk slowly! Talk little! Love breath!”

– The Primordial Breath, Volume I

4. Focus on Joy

“Why do you have to do things well? Do them enjoyably, not well.”

– Anthony de Mello, Awareness

This quote comes from a story about friends who played music—not because they were good, but because they loved it. It’s a great reminder that we don’t always need to optimize or excel at everything (including our mindful practices). Sometimes focusing on joy is best.


1 Quote

The universe is only as large as our perception of it. When we cultivate our awareness, we are expanding the universe.”
— Rick Rubin

1 Answer

Category: The Nose

Answer: The alternating swelling and shrinking of the nasal turbinates is referred to as this.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the nasal cycle?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Grow up

Wisdom that Inspires Action, Mindfulness, and Humor

The Breathing 411 is mindfully created each week to support your journey. If you find it valuable, consider joining the Breath Learning Center. Members gain access to an ever-growing collection of book summaries, science paper reviews, and insights from the greatest teachers and thinkers, designed to help you find your unique path, connect ideas, help others, laugh, and grow as a Mixed Mindful Artist. It also includes ad-free daily emails, guided practices, and more.

Get Started Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Free 5-Day Course, Less Inflammation, and 3 Breath-Focused Quotes


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more


Reading Time: 1 min 34 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. A Free 5-Day Email Course for Instructors

It’s called: The Mixed Mindful Artist’s Guide: The 5 Biggest Mistakes Coaches Make with Breathing, Meditation, and Mindfulness (and How They Might Be Holding Back Your Coaching Practice).

You can sign up for it here. I hope you enjoy it!

2. Mindfulness Lowers Inflammation

Mindfulness practice, it seems, lessens inflammation day to day, not just during meditation itself. The benefits seem to show up even with just four weeks of mindfulness practice (around thirty hours total), as well as with loving-kindness meditation…Looks like there’s biological confirmation of what meditators say: it gets easier to handle life’s upsets.

– Daniel Goleman, Ph.D. & Richard Davidson, Ph.D., Altered Traits

Given that excess inflammation negatively impacts nearly every aspect of health, this highlights just how powerful a consistent mindfulness practice can be for overall well-being👏

3. Three Great Breath-Focused Quotes

Here are three great quotes from The Healing Power of the Breath, which is one of my all-time favorite Book 411s in the Breath Learning Center:

1. “The daily use of breath practices can turn back the tide of stress, counteract disease progression, and improve overall quality of life.”

2. “Once you establish an inner calm, you will transmit it naturally to others.”

3. “In learning breath practices the most important thing to remember is to relax…Self-judgment adds another layer of stress. The less you judge yourself, the easier it will be to relax and experience the benefits.”

4. The First Step on the Path

“Thus the first step on the Path is to know what you want, not what you ought to want. Only in this way can the pilgrim set out upon his journey fully prepared.”

– Alan Watts, Become What You Are

How good is that? It’s a great reminder that a well-lived life is not about figuring out what we “ought” or “should” want. Rather, it’s about finding our own way 👏


1 Quote

It is an astonishing truth: there is only one person in the world I can hope to control, and that is myself.”
— Eknath Easwaran

1 Answer

Category: Breath and Brain

Answer: This relaxing (and vibrating) breathing practice has been shown to increase gamma brain waves.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is humming?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. me following my path

Wisdom that Inspires Action, Mindfulness, and Humor

The Breathing 411 is mindfully created each week to support your journey. If you find it valuable, consider joining the Breath Learning Center. Members gain access to an ever-growing collection of book summaries, science paper reviews, and insights from the greatest teachers and thinkers, designed to help you find your unique path, connect ideas, help others, laugh, and grow as a Mixed Mindful Artist. It also includes ad-free daily emails, guided practices, and more.

Get Started Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

One-Second Meditation, Being Breathed, and Why Slow Breathing Works


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 30 sec

I hope the next 18’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Why Slow Breathing Works

“Specifically, as slow and deep breathing is initiated during a contemplative practice, the internal state of being settles into a relaxed state with a slower heart rate. With this slowing of heart rate, a positive feedback loop is initiated: The vagus nerve sends this lowered heart rate information via afferent fibers to the brain, and after it receives these signals that imply safety from the body, the brain then turns off threat arousal activation. Now, parasympathetic activity is dominant over sympathetic activity, initiating a felt sense of peace, safety, and contentment.

Crosswell et al. (2024)

Just a terrific “scientific reminder” of why slow breathing works and is a crucial part of most contemplative practices that elicit deep rest 👏

2. The One-Second Meditation

“Concentrate for one second. If, at the end of this time, your mind has wandered off, concentrate for another second, and then another. Nobody ever has to concentrate for more than one second—this one.”

– Alan Watts, Become What You Are

Yep, that’s about as straightforward and low-pressure as it gets. I’ve been adopting this mindset during my practice and it’s been super helpful. If it resonates with you, give it a try and see how you feel 🙏

3. Breathing vs. Meditation, Clothing, and Lighthearted

1. Studying breathing allows me to put my years of scientific training to good use. Practicing meditation teaches me how to forget everything I learn.

2. The breath will outgrow any clothes you try to put on it.

3. There is a reason laughter is called lightheartedness and not lightheadedness.

4. Being Breathed

“One day I noticed that I wasn’t breathing—I was being breathed.”

– Byron Katie

No matter what we call it—God, prana, life force, or simply the autonomic nervous system—it’s pretty remarkable to remember that there is something in us that ensures we’re always “being breathed,” always living 👏


1 Quote

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.”
— May Sarton

1 Answer

Category: Lungs

Answer: Healthy lungs are typically this color.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is pink?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. if you want to pull up

Wisdom that Inspires Action, Mindfulness, and Humor

The Breathing 411 is mindfully created each week to support your journey. If you find it valuable, consider joining the Breath Learning Center. Members gain access to an ever-growing collection of book summaries, science paper reviews, and insights from the greatest teachers and thinkers, designed to help you find your unique path, connect ideas, help others, laugh, and grow as a Mixed Mindful Artist. It also includes ad-free daily emails, guided practices, and more.

Get Started Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Inspiration, Recharging Our Batteries, and How to Float Through Life


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 33 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Inspiration from the Environment

“Studies of brainwaves during breathing suggested that the strongest effect of synching up with breathing rate comes on an in-breath. It sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s also true: when we breathe, we are literally taking inspiration from the environment and the subtle clues that it contains.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

How cool is that? Inhaling synchronizes our brainwaves because it’s literally our way of receiving subtle clues from the environment. This means that information coming from breathing gets special attention in the brain…which is why deliberately changing how we breathe can profoundly impact our mental and emotional states 👏

2. Recharging Our Batteries

“A lot of people also run out of energy because they forget to recharge. We need to recharge our batteries by doing retreats or other things that help us to relax, that give us pleasure and make us laugh, because we don’t want to take ourselves too seriously. We all want to lighten up, don’t we?”

– Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, The Heroic Heart

This applies not only in big ways like retreats, but perhaps even more importantly, in tiny ways—like when we have a few extra minutes to laugh, to breathe, to walk, or read. When we recharge our batteries this way, we’re better able to serve others 🙏.

3. Retreats, Frames, and How to Float Through Life

1. When life is your practice, you’re always on a retreat.

2. Any frame we put around the power of breathing won’t fit.

3. To float through life, treat laughter as your ocean.

4. Don’t Should on Yourself

“How many of us should on ourselves all the time?”

– Don Campbell, Healing Yourself with Your Own Voice

Guilty here. Let’s do our best not to “should on ourselves” this week 😊


1 Quote

The breath helps you maintain full attention, enabling you to see with greater clarity and accuracy the true nature of all forms: everything that arises passes away.”
— Larry Rosenberg

1 Answer

Category: Lung Forces

Answer: When upright, blood flow is greatest in the lower portions the lungs (up to 5-fold greater) due at least partially to the effect of this ever-present force.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is gravity?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. okay let’s not jump to conclusions

Wisdom that Inspires Action, Mindfulness, and Humor

The Breathing 411 is mindfully created each week to support your journey. If you find it valuable, consider joining the Breath Learning Center. Members gain access to an ever-growing collection of book summaries, science paper reviews, and insights from the greatest teachers and thinkers, designed to help you find your unique path, connect ideas, help others, laugh, and grow as a Mixed Mindful Artist. It also includes ad-free daily emails, guided practices, and more.

Treat yourself to a better life.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Intention, 25 Breath Ideas, and Sincere but Never Serious


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 37 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. 25 One-Sentence Breathing Ideas for 2025

1. Don’t take ten breaths; take one breath, ten times.

2. The breath will continue to outgrow any clothing you give it.

3. You will float through life so long as you treat the breath as your ocean.

4. Don’t go around air expecting not to breathe.

Continue reading them all here.

2. Ultimately, It’s Not About Breathing

“We can form an intimate relationship with our breath, our nervous system, and thus understand on a deep level the way our mind works. Ultimately, this is not about simply breathing; it is about finding a deep connection to our inner life.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

Here is an excellent reminder that breathing isn’t “just breathing.” It’s “about finding a deep connection to our inner life” so we can better understand how our bodies, minds, and souls work 👏

3. This is What Counts

“Before doing anything, we should examine the underlying motivation, because as the Buddha said, “Karma is intention.” It is not so much what we do but why we do it. … This is why when we are undertaking any action it is important for us to see as honestly as possible the underlying intention behind us performing this action of body or speech. … It isn’t just the action performed or words that we speak, but how it is said or done and with what intention. That is what counts.

– Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, The Heroic Heart

👏👏👏

4. Sincere But Never Serious

“You must understand that I am not a serious person. I may be sincere, but never serious, because I don’t think the universe is serious. And the trouble comes into the world largely because various beings take themselves seriously, instead of playfully.”

– Alan Watts, Still the Mind

“I may be sincere, but never serious.” That might just be my new life motto. It perfectly captures the paradox of giving life our all while simultaneously laughing at ourselves and approaching it all with humor and playfulness 👏


1 Quote

When your intentions are clear and strong, the appropriate actions naturally follow.”
— John Yates, Ph.D., and Matthew Immergut, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: The Nose

Answer: These are curved, bony structures inside the nose that are covered in mucus and help filter, warm, and humidify incoming air.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What are nasal turbinates?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. please don’t take this personally

Wisdom, Summarized for Action

The Breathing 411 is mindfully created each week to support your journey. If you find it valuable, consider joining the Breath Learning Center. Members gain access to an ever-growing collection of book summaries, science paper reviews, and insights from the greatest teachers and thinkers, designed to help you find your unique path, connect ideas, help others, and grow as a Mixed Mindful Artist. It also includes ad-free daily emails, guided practices, and more.

Treat yourself to a better life.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

New Mouth Tape Study, Universal Rhythm, and the Ego Hates This


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 44 sec

I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. New Study Published on Mouth Taping

“This is the first comprehensive literature review on nocturnal mouth-taping. It aims to ascertain what research is available that evaluates mouth-taping during sleep and to summarize this research. Additionally, it compares these research findings with the most common claims regarding mouth-taping on TikTok.”

Fangmeyer et al. (2024)

As a fan of mouth-taping, I view this study (published earlier this month) as essential reading. It distinguishes proven benefits from anecdotal claims, offering the first review that coaches and educators can use to provide evidence-based information to those they help.

Read the full thing above, or you can get my summary and 12:40 podcast discussion as a member of the Breath Learning Center. (After you sign up just go to "Science 411s" and it will be the top one.)

2. The Universal Rhythm

“The expansion and contraction of the abdomen, lower abdomen, and chest are parts of the universal rhythm. Everything in the universe has the same rhythm of expansion and contraction just like our breath and body. All of them are rising and falling.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

I have nothing to add but a few of these 👏👏👏

3. Going with the Flow, a Great Force, and Laughter

1. Breath control isn’t always necessary—the art is knowing when to go with the flow, and when to take control.

2. Demonstrations of breathing are small compared with the great force hidden behind them.

3. The best and most therapeutic form of mouth breathing is laughter.

4. The Ego Hates This

“It is also helpful to maintain a sense of humor, as it greatly diffuses anger and humiliation. If we can see the funny side of things then we can laugh. The ego hates to be laughed at; it takes itself very seriously, so it is important to practice not taking ourselves so seriously whenever the opportunity arises.”

– Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, The Heroic Heart

Here’s our reminder that the ego hates to be laughed at…which means we should do it every chance we get 😊


1 Quote

In any athletic discipline, the alignment of body and breath is critical. The synchronization of what you are doing with your breathing is the whole art.”
— Alan Watts

1 Answer

Category: High Altitude

Answer: When exposed to low oxygen levels, our bodies produce more of this molecule, which promotes the release of oxygen from the hemoglobin into the tissues.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (BPG)?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Is this really all there is to life?

Breathing and Mediation Instructors:

The Breath Learning Center is a mountain of modern science and timeless wisdom. It’s summarized, organized, easy to read, and immediately actionable.

If you want to supply those you help with the best program possible, the wisdom and science in the Learning Center will be invaluable to your practice.

Click here to learn more.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

After 8 Years, How to Be Like Water, and Our Body’s Love Language


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 36 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. That’s It

“If we only practice when all the outer conditions seem nice but not when people are noisy, or when there are problems, or when we are feeling ill, or something adverse comes up, then we don’t know how to practice. We have to learn how to use our life—everything in our life—as our practice. That’s it.”

– Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, The Heroic Heart

Yep, that truly is it 👏

2. “I’ve Been Helping the Wheat Grow”

“Once upon a time in China, there was a farming family, and they were having dinner. The oldest son came in late, and they asked him, ‘Why are you late for dinner?

Oh,’ he said, ‘I’ve been helping the wheat to grow.

They came out the next morning and all the wheat was dead. It turned out that the son had pulled each stalk up a little bit, to help it grow.”

– Alan Watts, Still the Mind

Here is a little humor wrapped around a powerful message. As Watts puts it, “The point is that growth always occurs in a being as it does in a plant, and it is perfect at every step.” 👏

3. After 8 Years, Bruce Lee, & Gravity for Your Practice

1. After 8 years of practice, I’ve never been able to watch my breath without changing it. That’s the point. That is the lesson.

2. Laughter is like the Bruce Lee “be like water” of breathing exercises: it flows effortlessly, forms to any situation, and, given enough time, will erode any obstacle in its path.

3. Intention is gravity for your practice.

4. Wholeness and Holiness

“Psychological wholeness and spiritual holiness never exclude the problem from the solution. If it is wholeness, then it is always paradoxical, and holds both the dark and light sides of things.

– Richard Rohr, Falling Upward

We must accept all of ourselves—even the parts we dislike and want to change—if we are to truly experience wholeness 🙏


1 Quote

Deep breathing is our nervous system’s love language.”
— Lauren Fogel Mersy, PsyD

1 Answer

Category: Tidal Volume

Answer: This type of breathing, often used in singing, aims to keep your ribs expanded while slowing the ascent of the diaphragm to elongate the breath cycle.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is appoggio breathing?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. I wish I could be nonchalant but…

Breathing and Mediation Instructors:

Check out the Breath Learning Center. It’s a mountain of modern science and timeless wisdom. It’s summarized, organized, easy to read, and immediately actionable.

If you want to supply those you help with the best program possible, the wisdom and science in the Learning Center will be invaluable to your practice.

Click here to learn more.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Breath Curious, a Moving Museum, and the Necessary Path


Sorry, No Audio This Week

Sorry, I was traveling last week and couldn’t record audio. On the plus side, Thought #3 and the humor in the P.S. link were inspired by this travel 😊. Will be back with audio next week.

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more


Reading Time: 1 min 36 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Breath is a Curious Operation

“Breath is a curious operation because it can be experienced as both a voluntary doing and an involuntary happening. You could do a breathing exercise and feel that “I am breathing” in just the same way as you can feel “I am walking.” But on the other hand, you breathe all the time when you’re not thinking about it. And in that way, it’s involuntary. You must breathe. And so it is the faculty attending to which we can realize the unity of the voluntary and involuntary systems.

– Alan Watts, Still the Mind

That’s the curious power of the breath: We can control it and see that “we are breathing.” At the same time, we can study it and see that, as Eddie Stern tells us, “We are literally being breathed by the atmosphere all through the day, all through our lives.” The insight and control this brings is why breath awareness and breath exercises have been used for millennia for self-realization 👏.

2. Inherent Connectedness

“Breath is a phenomenon common to all living things. A true experiential understanding of the process moves you closer to other living beings. It shows you your inherent connectedness with all of life.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

👏 👏 👏

3. Inner Tourism, A Moving Museum, and Distance

1. Mindfulness is inner tourism.

2. Mindful breathing is a moving museum you can visit anytime.

3. “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” -Victor Borge

4. The Necessary Path

“The world mythologies all point to places like Hades, Sheol, hell, purgatory, the realm of the dead. Maybe these are not so much the alternative to heaven as the necessary path to heaven.

– Richard Rohr, Falling Upward

Are you currently going through any “hells or purgatories” in your life? (Since you’re human, I’d wager there’s a 99.9% chance you are 😊). Maybe these are not “the opposite of heaven” but instead “the necessary path” to discovering it…


1 Quote

It helps to realize that it’s better to follow the universe than those around you.”
— Rick Rubin

1 Answer

Category: Tidal Volume

Answer: The average amount of air we breathe with each breath is only about this percentage of our total lung capacity.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is 10-15%?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. every time I socialize

Breathing and Mediation Instructors:

Check out the Breath Learning Center. It’s a mountain of modern science and timeless wisdom. It’s summarized, organized, easy to read, and immediately actionable.

If you want to supply those you help with the best program possible, the wisdom and science in the Learning Center will be invaluable to your practice.

Click here to learn more.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Common Breath Currency, 3 of the Best, and an Overlooked Exercise


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 48 sec

I hope the next 22’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. The “Common Currency” of Breath, Brain, and Mind

“The synchronization between respiration and slow neural activity is likely key to understanding the brain-physiology relationship. Higher degrees of coupling between respiration and brain activity likely manifest as the inverse of symptoms of panic disorder (e.g., relaxation, greater attention, and more measured thoughts). Slow rhythms thus provide a link and shared feature of respiration, neural, and mental activity serving as their ‘common currency’.

From Lung to Brain (2023)

How neat? Speed acts as a “common currency” that the breath, brain, and mind accept. This means when we slow our breathing, the brain and mind accept that as payment and slow down in return. The result is relaxation, better attention, and calmer thoughts 👏

***

P.S. If you love science like this but don’t have time to read all day, let me do it for you 👨‍🏫. In the Breath Learning Center, I provide clear and succinct summaries of significant studies like this one. Sign up today.

2. An Overlooked Breathing Exercise

“We breathe, most importantly, to bring oxygen from the atmosphere into our bodies and to release carbon dioxide in return. Another crucial aspect of the breath, and one that is rarely discussed, is that it gives us our voice. Breathing generates speech, a fundamental element of our experience as human beings.”

– Michael J Stephen, MD, Breath Taking

Here’s an obvious yet often overlooked (for me, at least 😊) reminder that speaking is, at its core, a “breathing exercise.” This means that if we become conscious of what and how we speak, our speech can become an integral part of our practice, providing endless chances to use breathing and mindfulness to support the people we want to be.

3. Three of the Bests

1. The best healing breathing exercise? Laughter.

2. The easiest form of meditation? Laughter.

3. The purest, most universal, and most natural way to mindfulness? Laughter.

4. Move to Be Still

“We need to move to be still, and only from that place of stillness can we move well.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

Here’s a wonderful reminder that movement is critical to our breathing and meditation practices. They are two sides of the same coin: “We need to move to be still, and only from that place of stillness can we move well.” 👏


1 Quote

We move toward understimulation if we are on the schedule of soul.”
— Richard Rohr

1 Answer

Category: Nasal Breathing Brain

Answer: Nasal breathing, through its direct connection to this brain region, can influence and synchronize rhythms throughout the whole brain.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the olfactory bulb?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. no more loops

Breathing and Mediation Instructors:

Check out the Breath Learning Center. It’s a mountain of modern science and timeless wisdom. It’s summarized, organized, easy to read, and immediately actionable.

If you want to supply those you help with the best program possible, the wisdom and science in the Learning Center will be invaluable to your practice.

Click here to learn more.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Ten Breaths, the Power of Intention, and a Prescription for a Good Life


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 57 sec

I hope the next 24’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. The Power of Intention

“Intention plays an important role in each moment of consciousness: it determines the objects of subsequent moments of consciousness. The stronger our intention to attend to a particular object, the more moments of attention will subsequently be focused on that object.”

The Mind Illuminated

Although this was discussing meditation, it applies perfectly to life in general. When we intend to be good people, or intend to live more joyfully, or intend to be more caring and compassionate, then “more moments of attention will subsequently be focused” on cultivating these qualities, and they’ll gradually become part of who we are 👏

***

P.S. If you’re a breath or meditation coach, this is a powerful tool. Helping people clarify their intentions can motivate them to practice. So, rather than focusing solely on results, you focus on intention, and the outcomes take care of themselves.

2. Helping You Deal with All of Life’s Challenges

“I think that working with the breath can be a very powerful technique to center the mind, to help you work more effectively, to help you deal with all of the challenges that life throws in your way every day, and to really turn your direction away from the material world toward the non-physical world.”

– Andrew Weil, MD, Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing

Here’s a powerful reminder that the breath can “help you deal with all of the challenges that life throws in your way.”

So, whether it’s through breath awareness or deliberate breath control, make sure you put this power to good use this week 😊

3. Gratitude, 10 Breaths, and Spirit Circulation

1. Gratitude turns an ordinary breath into air candy.

2. Don’t take ten breaths; take one breath, ten times.

3. Our breath moves spirit around like our heart moves blood around.

4. A Prescription for a Good Life

“A well-known physician who has made a specialty of nerve diseases, not getting satisfactory results from the prescription of drugs, tried the experiment of inducing his patients to smile under all circumstances—to compel themselves to laugh whether they felt like it or not. ‘Keep the corners of your mouth turned up,’ is his prescription for those suffering from melancholia. It works like a charm.”

– Orison Swett Marden, The Joys of Living

I’m not sure if there was a doctor who really did this, and I’m not a fan of faking emotions. BUT, I can wholeheartedly get behind a “prescription” to smile and laugh for living a good life 😊


1 Quote

There is another word for self-discipline. It is patience.”
— Bhante Gunaratana

1 Answer

Category: Breath and Meditation

Answer: Many forms of meditation focus on breath sensations in this part of the nose, also known as the nasal vestibule.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the inside of the nostrils?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. a rug made of legos

A Better Approach to Breathing

While I love just about everything about breathing and meditation, there’s one thing I feel could use more balance: Specialization.

Specializing to become “the best at this” or “the go-to person for that” certainly has its place and value. But for real-life, complex, messy humans (not speaking from experience or anything 😂), blending and adapting principles from a variety of practices, sciences, and traditions often works best.

This is the art of being a generalist, or what I playfully call being a “Mixed Mindful Artist.”

If you’re looking to build a truly beneficial personal practice or have a broader impact on those you teach, the generalist approach of becoming a mixed mindful artist might resonate with you.

You can learn more about it here.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Whole-Brain Breathing, Nexus Point, and Life is Far Too Important


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 46 sec

I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. A Nasal Nexus Point

“That point at the tip of the nostril can be viewed as a sort of a window between the inner and outer worlds. It is a nexus point and energy transfer spot where stuff from the outside world moves in and becomes a part of what we call “me,” and where a part of “me” flows forth to merge with the outside world. There are lessons to be learned here about self-identity and how we form it.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

One of those lessons is that we are not separate from the world around us but are (quite literally) connected to it: “We” absorb pieces of “it,” and “it” absorbs pieces of “us.” The breath just reminds us that the boundary between “we” and “it” is somewhat of an illusion 👏

2. Breathing Modulates the Whole Brain

“We, therefore, propose that an individual’s respiratory rhythm serves a fundamental, intrinsic role that modulates the topography and dynamics of the whole brain. Going beyond respiration-brain coupling, this opens the door for the application of respiration as a therapeutic technique in mental disorders.

Neuroscience Bulletin (2023)

Our breathing might serve “a fundamental, intrinsic role that modulates the topography and dynamics of the whole brain.” How cool is that?

If you’d like to learn more, we have a new Science 411 on this paper in the Learning Center. Get access to it, plus the largest hub of science and wisdom on the contemplative arts, all for as little as $5.

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. Slow breathing is air appreciation. Fast breathing is air intoxication. And breath holding is air imagination.

2. Breathing is more an expression of our life force than merely our connection to it.

3. With time, breath awareness naturally becomes gratitude for living.

4. Life is Far Too Important

“Life is far too important to be taken seriously.”

– Attributed to Oscar Wilde

Or if you prefer this version from Eckhart Tolle: “Life is not as serious as the mind makes it out to be.” Both are perfect reminders to smile and laugh at ourselves often this week 😊


1 Quote

Life itself is always in movement, so aligning with our life force means that we must always look for the flow within us.”
— Gladys McGarey, MD

1 Answer

Category: Breathing and Pressure

Answer: Pursed-lips and ujjayi breathing both likely lead to a slight increase in this (clinically abbreviated PEEP), which may help keep the airways open during exhalation.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is positive end-expiratory pressure?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Basic human needs:

The Generalist Approach

While I love just about everything about breathing and meditation, there’s one thing I feel could use more balance: Specialization.

Specializing to become “the best at this” or “the go-to person for that” certainly has its place and value. But for real-life, complex, messy humans (not speaking from experience or anything 😂), blending and adapting principles from a variety of practices, sciences, and traditions often works best.

This is the art of being a generalist, or what I playfully call being a “Mixed Mindful Artist.”

If you’re looking to build a truly beneficial personal practice or have a broader impact on those you teach, the generalist approach of becoming a mixed mindful artist might resonate with you.

You can learn more about it here.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

A Mini Life, Breath-Brain, and Helping Everyone Else Relax


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more


Reading Time: 1 min 32 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. A Miniature Model of Life

“When we truly observe the breath, we are automatically placed in the present. We are pulled out of the morass of mental images and into a bare experience of the here and now. In this sense, breath is a living slice of reality. A mindful observation of such a miniature model of life itself leads to insights that are broadly applicable to the rest of our experience.

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

Yep, that sums it up perfectly. I have nothing else to add but several of these 👏👏👏

2. Breath-Brain: Entire Fields are Dedicated to This

“The brain’s metabolic-energetic coupling to respiration is at odds with how neuroscientists methodologically treat respiration. Respiration-related neural activity is typically considered noise, and entire fields are dedicated to stripping it from brain data.”

Neuroscience Bulletin (2023)

The breath’s influence on the brain is so pervasive that “entire fields are dedicated to stripping it from brain data.” How crazy is that? 🤯

It’s a powerful reminder that, although we often talk about the breath’s impact on the nervous system, its effects on the brain may be the most profound (yet least appreciated) of all…

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. Shining your attention on your breath is like a dimmer switch: even if it’s not all the way up, it will still help you see better.

2. Scientific studies of breathing are timely and indispensable; personal experience with the breath is timeless and irreplaceable.

3. Equanimity is when the breather realizes they are the breath.

4. Few Persons Realize

“Few persons realize that health actually varies according to the amount of laughter.”

– James J. Walsh, MD, PhD

Here is our weekly reminder to laugh. It is, after all, the best “breathing exercise” around… 😊


1 Quote

Pressure is contagious, but so is good will. Just one person slowing down, one person not putting others under pressure, helps everyone else to relax too.”
— Eknath Easwaran

1 Answer

Category: Breath Connection

Answer: Breathing influences this organ over a wide set of frequencies, ranging from as slow as 0.01 Hz to as high as 80 Hz.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the brain?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. like I get it

Reminder: A Good New Year Begins Now

Like a good inhale starts with a full exhale, or a good morning starts the night before, a good 2025 begins with how we end this year. So, if you want to start 2025 off strong, consider ending this year by becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. You can do that by joining the Breath Learning Center. I’ve made it accessible, with options starting at just $5, because I believe the mixed mindful arts should be available to all who seek them. I hope you’ll join us!

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Learning to Live, 3 Random Thoughts, and Going on an Internal Jog


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 33 sec

I hope the next 19’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Learning to Live

“In the practice of meditation you become sensitive to the actual experience of living, to how things actually feel. You do not sit around developing sublime thoughts about living. You live…meditation, more than anything else, is learning to live.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

Here’s a wonderful reminder that meditation—and all our other contemplative practices—are not a means of escaping life. They are actually a way of learning to live, a way of becoming more “sensitive to the actual experience of living.” 👏

2. Nasal Stimulation and Altered Consciousness

“The NS [nasal stimulation] elicited an altered perception of the self and of the flowing of time, a high degree of inwardly-directed attention together with a diminished ability of controlling their own thoughts, which led to a general perception of being in an altered state of consciousness.”

- Nature Sci Rep (2018)

I shared about this study about a month ago, but I recently made a post explaining its fascinating results that I thought you might enjoy. Check it out on HHPF.

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. Breathing exercises don’t solve our problems—they change how we interpret our problems, which may be just as valuable.

2. The goal of a mindful breathing practice is better mindless breathing.

3. Start by starting; one minute is always better than none-minutes.

4. An Internal Jog

“Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors.”

– Norman Cousins

That’s a great analogy and reminder to take a daily “internal jog” this week using the most therapeutic breathing exercise of all—laughter. No treadmills required 😊


1 Quote

I believe I know the only cure, which is to make one’s center of life inside of one’s self, not selfishly or excludingly, but with a kind of unassailable serenity—to decorate one’s inner house so richly that one is content there, glad to welcome anyone who wants to come and stay, but happy all the same when one is inevitably alone.”
— Edith Wharton

1 Answer

Category: Breath and Brain

Answer: Breathing’s impact on this brain signal is so significant that it’s often regarded as “noise” that needs to be removed.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the fMRI signal?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Not to be dramatic but…

A Clear Path?

“If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.”

– Joseph Campbell

This perfectly captures the essence of becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. We don’t focus on one method that worked for someone else; instead, we find our own path, guided by timeless wisdom, modern science, and self intuition. So, if you’re ready to start clearing your own trail, get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

A 10-15-75 Formula, Laughter, and a Menu of Mind-Body Benefits


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 38 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. A 10-15-75 Formula for Thinking

“There is a formula for this: 10 percent of thinking can be concerned with the past, 15 percent with the future, and the remaining 75 percent with the present. When we live mostly in the present, we can move easily, step by step. We can respond to events with an open heart and an open mind.”

– Satish Kumar, Elegant Simplicity

I love this idea. Instead of saying we should “always be in the present,” it reminds us that we will, of course, spend time thinking about the past and future—that’s part of being human. So, our aim is just to do our best to live mostly in the present” so we can “respond to events with an open heart and an open mind.” 👏

2. A Menu of Mind-Body Benefits

The real power of breathing comes from the way that we can also control the rate and depth…and choose from a menu of body–mind benefits. … We can use it to calm down, focus and think about what to do next. With a little practice we can also use breath control techniques to escape from reality for a while, taking a well-earned break from both body and mind. … All are easy to do and can make a significant difference to how you think and feel—for solid physiological reasons.”

- Caroline Williams, Move

👏 👏 👏

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. Mindfulness is thought meteorology; breath control is weather modification.

2. Sometimes the most mindful thing you can do is let your mind wander.

3. Your current state of mind is the average of your last five breaths.

4. The Breathing Baywatch?

“I think laughter is the best medicine. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then you can’t laugh at life and the silliness of it all.”

– David Hasselhoff

Did I just quote Hasselhoff in a newsletter about breathing and mindfulness? Yes, yes I did 😂 But this is a great quote and a great reminder to laugh this week—it’s the best breathing exercise around.


1 Quote

Awakening is an accident, but continued practice will make you accident-prone.”
— John Yates, PhD & Matthew Immergut, PhD

1 Answer

Category: Speed of the Nervous System

Answer: The fastest signals in the body, clocking in at 268 mph, travel along an alpha motor neuron in this long, tube-like structure.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the spinal cord?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Big things coming

When You Get Tired

When you get tired of all the methods, all the promises and sales tactics, and when you realize that no one (yep, no one) has it all figured out, come check out the Breath Learning Center. We blend timeless wisdom, modern science, and self-intuition to create our own path. No empty promises or guarantees, just a thoughtful, caring place to discover what truly works for you. Learn more here.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Purely for Joy, Physics, and How to Overcome Obstacles


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 46 sec

I hope the next 22’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Tied into the Universe of Physics

“The lungs are tied into the universe of physics like no other organ, perfectly using the space allotted to maximize flow. And optimizing flow, and movement, is clearly one of the purposes of life from a biological perspective.”

– Michael J Stephen, MD, Breath Taking

👏 👏 👏

***

P.S. And as one of my favorite teachers, R.M., wisely pointed out in response to this quote: “Perhaps we could say the same for every organ in the body.”

2. An Intriguing Situation

“This is an intriguing situation when we stop to think about it, for if it is true that breath influences both body and mind, then the rhythm and the rate of the breath would reflect not only one’s physical condition, but would also help to create it.”

Science of Breath

Here’s another powerful reminder that, although breathing reflects our current state, it also shapes it:

  • Fast, shallow breathing reflects being anxious…but it can also cause anxiety.

  • Slow, deep breathing reflects being calm…but it can also create relaxation.

This is the true power of breath control. When used sensibly and safely, it can help us “create the physical condition” we’re after 👏

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. What exercise is to the body, what meditation is to mind, breathing is to the soul.

2. In many ways, mindfulness means ignoring our minds and listening to our hearts.

3. Slow, mindful breathing helps you feel underwhelmed for a change.

***

P.S. Number 1 was inspired by this quote: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” - Sir Richard Steele

4. How to Overcome Obstacles to Daily Practice

“Diligence helps start you on your way, but the real solution to these obstacles is learning to enjoy your practice…Too often, people approach meditation as though they were taking medicine—it tastes bad, but they grin and bear it because it’s supposed to be good for them. Instead, make meditation into a pleasurable activity.

The Mind Illuminated

With that in mind, we might ask, ‘How could I tailor my practice to bring me more joy?’ Remember: We’re not supposed to grin and bear it; we’re supposed to enjoy it 👏


1 Quote

We have to keep having fun throughout our lives—it’s so important to do things purely for the joy of it.”
— Gladys McGarey, MD

1 Answer

Category: Gene Expression

Answer: Slow breathing, through its activation of this psychophysiological response, may rapidly alter how genes are expressed.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is the relaxation response?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. a haunted house but…

Our Only Guide is Homesickness

“We have no one to guide us. Our only guide is our homesickness.”

– Herman Hesse

This perfectly captures the essence of becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. We don’t focus on one method that worked for someone else; instead, we let our homesickness—our own intuition—guide us while using wisdom from great teachers and scientists to support that journey. If you’re ready to find your way home, get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

How to Not Get Upset, Robust Science, and the Great Synchrony


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 42 sec

I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. The Great Synchrony Between Breath, Heart, and Brain

“We term this phenomenon the great 10 second synchrony between breath, heart and the brain.”

The Brain's Resonance with Breathing

This 2019 study found that slow breathing, particularly at 6 breaths a minute (a 10-second cycle), rapidly synchronizes breath, heart, and brain rhythms, providing insight into how slow breathing exercises may enhance mental and emotional well-being 👏

***

P.S. As always, if you want to nerd out on the full review, check out the Breath Learning Center. We now have reviews of 51 papers, 45 books, and 552 daily messages to help you live better as a mixed mindful artist (and we’re just getting started 😊). We currently have 86 active members…I’d love for you to join us.

2. Get the Best of the Mind: Now Enough Robust Science

“There is now enough robust science to show that mastering the simple movements needed to control the rate, depth and route by which you get air into your body can become a handy tool to steer thoughts and feelings in useful ways. Mastering this range of bodily movements can allow us to dial into the workings of the brain and the rest of the body, change the settings of both and get the very best out of the mind.

– Caroline Williams, Move

👏 👏 👏

3. Three Random Thoughts on Breathing

1. All life needs to move, and the lungs and airways are perfectly designed to optimize air motion in support of life.

2. A breath practice is a tool—but not a requirement—for a good life.

3. The most common mistake in breathing is using the nose, lungs, and diaphragm, but not the heart.

4. How to Not Get Upset when a Real Trial Comes

“Simply by maintaining a sense of humor and humility, we can teach the mind not to get upset even when a real trial comes.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Conquest of Mind

This one certainly passes the real-life test for me 😊. Give it a try this week and see how it goes.


1 Quote

Joy seems to be the ‘natural’ state of a unified mind, and the more unified a mind is, the more joyful it is.”
— John Yates, Ph.D., and Matthew Immergut, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: Brain Rhythms

Answer: These are brain electrical signals directly related to mental effort and brain excitability, which can become synchronized with respiration during slow breathing.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What are slow cortical potentials (SCPs)?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. I was born to be Finnish

Our Only Guide is Homesickness

“We have no one to guide us. Our only guide is our homesickness.”

– Herman Hesse

This perfectly captures the essence of becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. We don’t focus on one method that worked for someone else; instead, we let our homesickness—our own intuition—guide us while using wisdom from great teachers and scientists to support that journey. If you’re ready to find your way home, get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

Best Place to Start, Self-Regulation, and How to Move Forward


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 42 sec

I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. Probably the Best Place to Start with Mindfulness

“Probably the best place to start is with your breathing. If you can manage to bring your attention to your breathing for even the briefest of moments, it will set the stage for facing that moment and the next one with greater clarity.”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, Full Catastrophe Living

I have nothing to add, except a few of these 👏 👏 👏

2. Unique Powers of Self-Regulation

“Even if you’ve never given it a moment’s thought, breath control is instinctively recognizable as not only a human-only skill but also as one that is intimately linked to our unique powers of mental and emotional self-regulation.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

This short passage highlights a profound understanding: We all intuitively know that breath control is linked to our ability to self-regulate mentally and emotionally. The challenge (and opportunity), of course, is remembering to use it 😊

3. Three Elegant Thoughts on the Lungs from Michael J Stephen, MD

1. “The lungs are a mysterious and even mystical organ. They are our connection to the atmosphere, the organ that extracts the life force we need to exist.”

2. “The lungs tap into something universal in their structure, maximizing uptake of the life force that surrounds all of us.”

3. “It is a beautiful circle of reuse and recycle, appropriately termed circulation, with the lungs as the centerpiece, the lynchpin connecting the body and the outside world.”

4. How to Actually Move Forward

“Like skaters, we move forward by actually moving from side to side.”

– Richard Rohr, Falling Upward

I’ve never loved a quote more in my life 😊. It reminds me of how we live, moving back and forth between:

Timeless Wisdom < — > Modern Science

Breathing < — > Meditation

Success < — > Failure

Science Papers < — > Spiritual Books

Seriousness < — > Humor

And on and on and on.

All these seemingly sideways movements are actually gliding us forward toward our True Selves 🙏


1 Quote

When it comes to building stress resilience, one of the most powerful interventions is focusing on joy—specifically, the positive things that exist in our lives now, and on creating a positive future.”
— Elissa Epel, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: Lungs

Answer: It is estimated that there are about this many different generations of irregular branches from the main airway down to the alveoli.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is about 24-25?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. How to be happy

Gliding into Our True Selves

“Like skaters, we move forward by actually moving from side to side.”

– Richard Rohr

The idea in Thought #4 of gliding back and forth between timeless wisdom and modern science, breathing and meditation, seriousness and humor, and science and spiritual books beautifully captures the essence of becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. And it’s exactly what we do in the Breath Learning Center.

So, if you’re ready to glide your way to your true self, lace up your skates and get started today. 😊

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.


 

A Clearer Life, Quiet Joy, and 3 Random Thoughts


Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊



Reading Time: 1 min 38 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.



4 THOUGHTS

1. A Clearer and More Vivid Life

“Think about a digital photograph. The vividness and clarity of the image depend on the number of pixels. Likewise, the vividness and clarity of the meditation object depend on the number of perceiving moments of attention whose content is the meditation object.”

The Mind Illuminated

Although it’s about meditation, this analogy is perfect for life as a whole. The more “perceiving moments of attention” we bring to what’s happening (aka mindfulness), the more “pixels” we’ll add to our life image, and the clearer and more vivid they will become 👏

2. Tuning Out from Reality (and skipping with fairies)

“If you are already breathing at a normal rate, slowing it down further still can change your state of mind to the point where you tune out from reality and skip happily away with the fairies.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

This quote made me laugh. It’s a fun reminder that, although the breath is a gateway to mindfulness, we can also use slow breathing as a mini retreat from life, allowing us to “tune out from reality and skip happily away with the fairies.” 😊

3. Three Random Thoughts

1. Breathing, with awareness, is gratitude.

2. If you follow your breath, you may actually end up where you’re going.

3. Right now, to get a fresh perspective, you can view the breath cycle as starting on an exhale rather than an inhale. The insight comes from remembering that we can do this with almost everything in life.

4. Be Weird

“We’re able to connect with life best when we get juice from multiple places. A puzzle piece doesn’t just click in on one side; it clicks in on two, three, or four. What that looks like varies from person to person.”

- Gladys McGarey, MD (103-years-old)

A reminder that breathing and mindful living are not about sitting cross-legged all day or becoming a zen master. They’re about becoming more us: allowing ourselves to be weird, embracing our varied interests, and connecting with life’s bigger puzzle on multiple sides 👏


1 Quote

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
— Ralph H. Blum

1 Answer

Category: Skin and Nervous System

Answer: Slow breathing helps to reduce this skin-associated measure, which is thought to be a marker of nervous system activity.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is skin conductance?


In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. a haunted house but…

There Is No Path

Traveler, there is no path. The path is made by walking.” – Antonio Machado

Your breath, your mind, and your awareness are your most powerful tools for living a fulfilled life. Don’t limit yourself to one method or feel guilty about your varied interests—these are what make you, you. Embrace your curiosity and explore different teachings, understand their core principles, and forge your own path. Learn more.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!

Learn more here.


Amazon Associate Disclosure

I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )

* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.