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 😊
Enjoy These Posts?
Reading Time: 1 min 43 sec
I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. One of My New Top 5 Favorite Studies (plus $1)
“When you control your breath, what you are actually doing is taking your brainwaves in hand and tethering the rate of their fluctuations to your breathing rate.”
– Caroline Williams, Move
The research Williams is referencing is a 2018 study that found that nasal airflow stimulation led to significant increases in theta and delta brainwaves while also inducing an altered state of consciousness.
It’s one of the coolest studies I’ve read. You can read it here.
***
P.S. Or if you'd like my in-depth review (available as a web article, PDF, and 13-minute podcast), including practical ways to apply the findings in your life, you can get it today-only for just $1.
2. Inhaling is a Spiritual Practice
“With mindfulness, you breathe in, and there you are, well established in the here and the now. Breathing in, touching your full aliveness, is a spiritual practice.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Breath
That’s so good. It reminded me of this wisdom from Rick Rubin:
“Taken more spiritually, inspiration means to breathe life into. An ancient interpretation defines it as the immediate influence of the divine.”
They’re perfect reminders that we can experience the “immediate influence of the divine” and “touch our full aliveness” at any moment by practicing mindful breathing 🙏
3. Three Reminders to Exhale
1. Here’s a metaphor for saying, “extend your exhale,” which we can apply to all aspects of life: Give more than you receive.
2. “For the lungs to draw in air, they must first be emptied.” - Rick Rubin
3. “The key to breathing, lung expansion, and the long life that came with it was on the other end of respiration. It was in the transformative power of a full exhalation.” - James Nestor
4. Better Friends with Everybody Around Us
“Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young. A good laugh makes us better friends with ourselves and everybody around us.”
– Orison Swett Marden
And to wrap up, here is your reminder to take part in the most therapeutic breathing practice of all: laughing 😊
1 Quote
“Mindfulness allows us to recognize our options, choose our responses wisely, and take control over the direction of our lives.””
1 Answer
Category: Brain
Answer: These rhythmic patterns of electrical activity (aka neural oscillations) are generated by neurons and help send information across different regions of the brain.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What are brainwaves?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. “you’re so chill”
Stop Specializing
Embrace a more thoughtful approach to a life of love, wisdom, purpose, and joy: become a Mixed Mindful Artist. Instead of trying to fit into a single method, you can integrate the principles of breathing, meditation, and mindfulness to find a balanced and adaptable practice that supports your well-being in every stage of your life. 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!
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.