Listen Instead of Reading
Welcome back to another 411. Let’s jump straight in…
4 Thoughts
1. Breathing to Boost Creativity: Quieting the Amygdala, Pessimism, and 80%
“Unfortunately, to keep us safe, the amygdala is strongly biased toward negative information. …This crushes optimism and squelches creativity. When tuned toward the negative, we miss the novel.”
When we meditate or practice slow breathing (~4-6 breaths/minute), activity in our amygdala is reduced. It’s hypothesized that this occurs through the “hyperpolarization” of neurons, which literally makes them harder to excite.
This turns down negative thinking and turns up creativity. It’s not magic; it’s membrane potential : )
Perhaps this is why, after interviewing the most creative people on the planet, Tim Ferriss discovered that “More than 80% of the interviewees have some form of daily mindfulness or meditation practice.”
These practices naturally lead to cardiorespiratory coherence, quieting the pessimistic amygdala, allowing us to see the novelty all around us.
So how about we slow down our breath, quiet our amygdala, and cultivate a little more creativity, today.
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Related Quote: “When Video Arts asked me if I’d like to talk about creativity I said ‘no problem!’ No problem! Because telling people how to be creative is easy, it’s only being it that’s difficult.” - John Cleese
2. Breathing To Live A Fuller Life
“It is life that is the real teacher. Practice should open us to a fuller life, not cut us off from it altogether.”
As much as I’m obsessed with my breath practice itself, this is perfect. We should use our practice to open us to a fuller life. To be more creative at work, to hike up a mountain, to accomplish a new PR in the gym.
And this really applies to everything we do for better health. Let’s not make the practice our life. Instead, let’s use the practice to have a fuller life.
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P.S. Like most of these thoughts, I’m talking to myself here : )
3. Why We Sigh
“But there may be more to sighing than just sustaining life. Research suggests that sighing also may relieve stress.”
- Jack L. Feldman, PhD and Ramani Durvasula, PhD
As if sustaining life wasn’t enough : )
Here’s another excellent article on sighing, this time from BottomLineInc. Be sure to read how you can “harness the sighing effect.” It’s doesn’t involve sighing at all…
Enjoy!
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Related: Pair this with one of my favorite articles ever, which goes by the same name: Vice: Why We Sigh
4. The Easiest Way to Immediately Improve Your Breathing
“The inhalation should be extremely soft and continuous, whether sitting down or lying down. If you are walking or standing, you should be relaxed. What is forbidden is noise.”
The easiest thing you can do to instantly improve your breathing anytime, anywhere, is just make it quiet. “What is forbidden is noise.”
1 QUOTE
“The soul lives there in the silent breath.”
- Rumi
1 Answer
Category: Amygdala Etymology
Answer: Because of its shape, the amygdala got its name from the Greek word amygdale, meaning this.
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(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
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Question: What is almond?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. take it from here good luck
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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.