Counterclockwise

How Breathing Compounds, 2000+ Years, and a Remarkable Fact of Existence

 
 

Listen Instead of Reading

 

A Breathing Gift This Week

Have you read the Holstee Manifesto? It’s amazing. This is my adaptation, The Breathing Manifesto. (I literally just copied their format. I’m not that creative, lol). Print it, hang it, and enjoy it!

 

Alright, on to this week’s 411…

 
 
 
 

4 Thoughts


1. The Body is Complex, So We Should Listen To It

(Read Time: 32 seconds)

“Our bodies are complex interconnected systems of biological processes that interact differently under the influence of the unique genetic coding and environmental factors that we each experience.”

- Dr. Ellen Langer, Counterclockwise

That passage gets a “Wow!” 🤯x 100

So if anyone ever tells you one breathing method is best, or one diet, or one anything related to your health, remember this message from Harvard professor Ellen Langer. Our bodies are insanely complex. There’s no way of knowing what’s best for you without trying it and listening to your own body.

***

Related Quote: “What we mean is, in the field of peak performance, too often, someone figures out what works for them and then assumes it will work for others. It rarely does. More often, it backfires.” - Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible

2. Will This Be Laughed at in 2000+ Years?

(Read Time: 43 seconds)

“I delved into the medical research … I was amazed by how the yogis of India and Tibet, prior to the invention of modern technology or research instruments, gained a thorough knowledge of the effect of the breath, proper and improper, on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”

- The Tibetan Yoga of Breath

Building off the previous thought, here’s a perfect example of the power of listening to the body. Without science, ancient yogis discovered the healing power of the breath, which modern science is only now starting to “validate.”

Of course, you know I’m obsessed with reading science papers : ) But in 2000+ years, do we really think any of them will still be meaningful? Or will they be laughed at? Probably the latter.

But results based on human experience, like those discovered by yogis millennia ago, are timeless.

***

P.S. This thought, and thought #1, are exactly why I’m obsessed with breathing : ) We can read the science, immediately apply it, and discard what doesn’t work for us.

3. How to Practice Mindfulness While You Walk

(Read Time: 31 seconds)

“Through breathwalking, I can access the same state of calm as people doing yoga and meditation but on my own terms” - James Nicolai, MD

- From Weight Watchers: How to Practice Mindfulness While you Walk

Yes, that’s right, Weight Watchers 🤦 Every single conscious and unconscious bias I have went into high gear when I saw it.

But this is the most succinct yet comprehensive article on breathwalking I’ve come across. It’s well worth the 3 min it’ll take you to read it. Enjoy!

4. Why Breathing is the Compound Interest of Health and Wellness

(Read Time: 37 seconds)

An obvious (yet overlooked) aspect of breathing is that we’re always doing it.  This presents the opportunity for infinite compounding gains over time.

Compounding requires two ingredients, time and consistency, which are built into breathing. Other health interventions, such as new diets, also compound. But they are usually more sporadic, limiting their chances of endless growth. 

But breathing is always there. It just takes tiny shifts, such as breathing only through our noses, for the compound interest to start accruing.

So here’s to watching our tiny 1% breathing investments compound into ridiculous growth over time.

***

Related: Smiling and the Warren Buffets of Breathing

Related Quote: “Peak performance works like compound interest.  A little bit today, a little bit tomorrow, do this for weeks and months and years and the result won't just be a life that exceeds your expectations, it'll be one that exceeds your imagination.” - Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible

 
 
 
 

1 Quote

“One of the most remarkable facts of existence is under our noses all of the time.”

- Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma

 
 
 
 

1 Answer

Category: The Complex Human Body

Answer: According to recent estimates, the human body has approximately this many cells.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 30-40 trillion?

In good breath,

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

P.S. One last look

 
 
 

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.

 
 

Box Breathing for Stress, and the Ancients’ Code to Becoming a Hero

 
 

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This week, you'll learn that breathing is only part of the solution, along with the ancient (and quite unexpected) secret to becoming a hero.

Enjoy!

 
 
 
 

4 Thoughts


1. Breathing as the XX% Solution

“Consider what life would be like if we gave up the idea of healthy or sick, zero versus one, and replaced it with the idea of multiple continuum. One minute, for example, we might score 60% on one health dimension, 30% on another, and perhaps 85% on yet a third. How would that change our lived experience?”

- Dr. Ellen Langer, Counterclockwise

I love this idea from Dr. Langer. It encourages us to forget “all or nothing” approaches and instead consider everything on a continuum. This perspective also provides a new way of finding solutions to our health problems.

Let’s say I only sleep 5 hours a night. Then, I start mouth taping and begin sleeping 6.5. That’s a 30% improvement. But let’s say you’re already sleeping 7 hours, and mouth tape gets you to 7.5. That’s only a 7% increase. But, that 7% might be all you need to feel your absolute best.

The point is that we’re all unique, and we’re all on different spots on the health continuum. My 80% solution might be your 30% one, and vice-versa.

So, instead of wondering what breathing (or the latest diet, the sauna, etc.) can fix for you, perhaps consider what percentage of the solution it is. “How would that change your lived experience?”

***

Related Quote: “The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action.” - Frank Herbert

2. Test Like a Pro

“You may feel your anxiety turning to panic. … To tackle this, watch your breathing. Just before you might go into panic mode, put your hand on your belly and try to draw air so deeply into your lungs that your hand moves up and down. This deep breathing can allow you to grow calmer and steadier.”

- Dr. Barbara Oakley and Olav Schewe, Learn Like a Pro

Last week, we discovered that to learn like a pro, we need to sleep like a pro. This week, Dr. Oakley and Olav Schewe give us their advice for testing like a pro: slow deep breathing.

This technique isn’t just for school tests, either. This is for any big event you’re facing. Of course, sometimes anxiety is good (see Kelly McGonigal’s amazing book, The Upside of Stress). But, in moments when you’re panicking, and it’s hampering your performance, here’s the perfect trick.

Place one hand on your belly and use your breathing to make it move. This activates the calming parasympathetic nervous system, helping you relax and gain mental focus. It’s free, available anytime, anywhere.

Here’s to approaching whatever tests life throws at us like pros, today.

***

Related: A better state-of-mind: deep breathing reduces state anxiety and enhances test performance through regulating test cognitions in children (Check out the last two sentences of the abstract)

Related: This 2-Minute Breathing Exercise Can Help You Make Better Decisions, According to a New Study

3. From the Cleveland Clinic: “How Box Breathing Can Help You Destress”

“Box breathing’s simplicity is its greatest strength”

- Melissa Young, MD, How Box Breathing Can Help You Destress

The Cleveland Clinic is one of the most respected hospitals and research centers worldwide. So, it was awesome to see them release an article on box breathing this past week.

It’s a quick yet comprehensive guide on box breathing. Enjoy!

4. The Ancients’ Secret to Becoming a Hero (it’s not what you might think)

“True heroism, as the ancients understood, isn’t about strength, or boldness, or even courage. It’s about compassion.”

- Christopher McDougall, Natural Born Heroes

Heroes are compassionate. In fact, the word hero itself actually means “protector” in Greek, not “strength” or “courage.” That’s why we call our parents, big brothers and sisters, military, police, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and especially our dogs, heroes. They protect us.

And these heroes don’t just rely on boldness or brute strength, like movies and the news might make us believe. They rely on empathy and compassion for those they are protecting. As McDougall puts it:

“Empathy, the Greeks believed, was a source of strength, not softness; the more you recognized yourself in others and connected with their distress, the more endurance, wisdom, cunning, and determination you could tap into.”

Thus, we can all be heroes because we can all develop these traits. Sitting and breathing, meditating, or doing some yoga will increase your compassion and awareness for yourself and those around you. That’s how heroes are made.

So who can you show compassion and empathy for this week? You might just become their hero.

 
 
 
 

1 Quote

“In a crunch situation, I recommend you collapse your concentration to your breathing while maintaining relaxed awareness of the surroundings. Breathing deeply will greatly reduce the stress, slow your heart rate, and bring your nervous system back into balance.”

- Mark Divine, Retired Navy SEAL Commander

 
 
 
 

1 Answer

Category: Word Etymology

Answer: The word “breath” is derived from the Old English “brǣth,” which has this meaning.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is ‘smell or scent’?

P.S. Thus, the word breath itself is related to the nose : )

In good breath,

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

P.S. wow, respect to these teen parents

 
 
 

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.

 
 

Delightful Practice, Reverse Arambhashura, and The Buddha’s Take on Science

 
 

Listen Instead of Reading

 

Hello,

Here are four thoughts, one quote, and one answer for this week.

I hope you enjoy it!

 
 
 
 

4 Thoughts


1. What Science Has in Common with The Buddha

“Research in general tells us something about most people. Given that our concern is for what we, rather than what most people, should do, current medical practice alone cannot have a definitive answer…We need to learn how to integrate what the medical world knows to be generally true with what we know, or can find out, about ourselves.”

- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., Counterclockwise

Ellen Langer was the first woman to be tenured in Harvard’s Psychology Department. She’s a badass, and this book is insanely good. If you’re interested in applying scientific research in your own life, it’s a must-read.

The above passage is particularly critical for breathing. As we continue to learn new things about breathwork, the most important thing is to integrate that knowledge with our personal situation to find out what’s best for us.

And remember, just because it worked in a study doesn’t mean it will work for you.

As the Buddha supposedly said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” It seems like Dr. Langer would agree : )

How do we do this in our own lives? Let’s turn to another brilliant mind for more advice in Thought #2.

***

Related Quote: “I believe books are medicine. A library is a medicine cabinet. What can heal one person may not work at all for somebody else. You know when something is healing you, just as you know when something isn't.” - Sandra Cisneros (I know it’s about books, but still so good.)

2. Delight in Practice: How To Integrate Science Into Your Life

“So look for what feels good and meaningful in what you’re already doing, and perhaps find additional things that are naturally pleasurable for you…Practice is less effective if it’s heavy and somber most of the time. It’s ok to have fun with it.”

- Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma

How’s that for a book title? There was no way I could not read that one : )

It’s packed with insight, but I thought this passage paired perfectly with Thought #1. To begin applying the new things you learn about breathing, start with what you already find meaningful, and add on from there.

For example, suppose you love the Oxygen Advantage. But, then you learn that taking big breaths every now and then is beneficial for lung capacity. In that case, you might try adding 5 big breaths before each breath hold you perform. If you like it, you keep it. If not, you don’t.

We also don’t want to take it too seriously (often guilty here). As Dr. Hanson also tells us, “It’s good to bring playfulness, even delight, to your practices.”

Here’s to applying rigorous science in our lives in a delightful way, today.

***

Related Quote: “As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.” - Gandhi

Related: Science Guides the Macro, Practice Guides the Micro (Thought #4)

3. Forbes: “How Breathing Calms Your Brain, And Other Science-Based Benefits Of Controlled Breathing”

“A brief review of the latest science on breathing and the brain, and overall health, serves as a reminder that breathing deserves much closer attention – there’s more going on with each breath than we realize.”

- David DiSalvo, Forbes Magazine

Here’s a quick summary of some of the science-backed benefits of breathing from Forbes. It was written 2017, but just as relevant today.

I liked the headline-paragraph-headline-paragraph style. Concise and informative. I hope you enjoy it too!

4. Slow Breathing as Reverse Arambhashura

There’s a Sanskrit word, arambhashura, which means something like “hero in the beginning.” We’ve all been there. You start a project all excitedly, but the excitement wanes. You hit some roadblocks. You decide it’s not worth it.

A slow breathing session is like reverse arambhashura. Because of the positive breathing-relaxation feedback loop, you gain motivation as you go. And when you’re done, you’re more focused, relaxed, and happy than when you began. You’re a hero at the end.

Here’s to practicing a little reverse arambhashura today.

 
 
 
 

1 Quote

“The kind of success I am most interested in is the sort available to every human being living, breathing, thinking, and doing things on this earth.”

– Tom Morris

 
 
 
 

1 Answer

Category: Body Oxygen Consumption

Answer: For the energy to perform their vital functions, the lungs themselves consume this percentage of the total body oxygen consumption.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 5%?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
Diabetes is Tiny. You are Mighty.

P.S. I actually needed to hear this…

 
 
 

Sign Up For The Breathing 411

Each Monday, I curate and synthesize information from scientific journals, books, articles, and podcasts to share 4 thoughts, 1 quote, and 1 answer (like "Jeopardy!") related to breathing. It’s a fun way to learn something new each week.