mindfulness

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Better Results, Seeds of Joy, and What it Truly Means to be Alive

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Reading Time: 1 min 35 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. Breathing & Mindfulness Work Together for Better Results

Slow breathing promotes optimal blood circulation, and mindfulness promotes optimal psyche circulation. Used together, they restore each of us to better physical and mental health and well-being.

2. A Short Period of Quiet Inspiration

“Even a short period of quiet inspiration in the morning will anchor the rest of your day; and at night, particularly after a hectic day, there can be no better preparation for sleep.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Take Your Time

Easwaran is referring to reading uplifting material. But, I think a more literal interpretation works too: A short period of quiet, mindful inspiration (aka a breath practice 😊) each morning will anchor the rest of your day, and “there can be no better preparation for sleep.”

3. Watering Your Seeds of Happiness

“So, I planted in myself a number of seeds of happiness. I know that this is very important because if I do not have enough happiness within myself, I shall not be able to help other people, other living beings. So that is why every day to practice in order to water the seed of your happiness, of your joy, is very important.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh, The Art of Mindful Living Talk​

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Make sure you’re taking time to water the seeds of your own joy and happiness. Without it, you will not be able to help anyone else 🙏

4. This Always Brings Openness and Joy

“To be happy, it’s not necessary to expend great effort so we get somewhere else.

Instead, relax into the present moment while finding humor in your life.

With humor, life becomes light and leisurely.

And laughter always brings people to experience openness and joy.”

- Haemin Sunim, The Things You Can See…

As I like to say, laughter is the most therapeutic breathing exercise. Don’t forget to get your daily dose of healing this week 😊

1 Quote

“What if we consider breath not only as a biological marker of being alive but also as a reflector of what it truly means to be alive?””
— Eddie Stern

1 Answer

Category: The Lungs

Answer: Lung function is generally assessed by these three categories of measurements.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

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Question: What are dynamic flow rates, static lung volumes, and gas exchange efficiency? (source)

In good breath,

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

P.S. what the Buddha meant by mindful listening

Breath Learning Center: Breathing, Wisdom Meditations, and Workshops

The Breath Learning Center helps you become the person you want to be through three resources:

  1. Breathing and Meditation Practice

  2. Wisdom Meditations

  3. Workshops for Deeper Learning

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.

 
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Self-Expression, Sending Messages of Calm, and How to Live Well

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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 51 sec

I hope the next 28’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Breathing is Self-Expression, Helping You Discover Who You Are

“It may not be possible to know who you are without somehow expressing it.”

- Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

That’s so good.

And fortunately, we’re always expressing ourselves through our breathing; the state of our body, mind, and spirit are articulated in every breath. When we tune into it, it helps us discover who we are.

2. How Slow Breathing Sends Calm Messages to the Body and Mind

“When we breathe slow and steady, with the abdomen rising and falling with the breath, the messages that get sent to the brain through the vagus nerve are messages of steadiness, evenness, rhythmicity, safety, and control. The brain will receive these messages, and then respond in kind, sending messages back down to the body and releasing hormones and neurotransmitters that are a response to safety. The body will relax, and homeostasis will be supported.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

That sounds pretty amazing, but it’s even better when you experience it yourself. Go give it a try for 5 minutes and see how you feel 🙏

P.S. And be sure to get Eddie’s great new book, if you haven’t already.

3. How to Live Well: Immerse Yourself in the Breath

“Living well, therefore, is merely a game of learning how to steer our energy toward life. It requires us to direct our loving attention toward the pulse that ebbs and flows within us, finding the precise rhythm of how that energy moves and immersing ourselves in it. When we do so, life comes alive.”

– Gladys McGarey, MD, The Well-Lived Life

​

This is exactly what we do when we focus on our breath: we immerse ourselves in “the pulse that ebbs and flows within us, finding the precise rhythm of how that energy moves.” And life comes alive.

So here’s to immersing ourselves in the breath to live well, today 🙏

4. Ignoring Our Minds in Mindfulness

In many ways, mindfulness is actually about learning to ignore our minds and, instead, listen to our hearts.

Meaning that with mindfulness, you learn that your mind thinks thoughts. You learn to allow them to occur without much judgment. You actually ignore your mind so you can cultivate more of your heart.

1 Quote

“Being alive is a miracle. Just sitting there, enjoying your in-breath and out-breath is already happiness. Since you’re breathing in and out, you know that you’re alive. That’s something worth celebrating.””
— Thich Nhat Hanh

1 Answer

Category: Breath-Heart Connection

Answer: During inhalation, changes in chest and abdominal pressures increase this, which is a critical component of overall cardiovascular circulation that ensures the blood gets reoxygenated.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is venous return (blood flow back to the heart)?

In good breath,

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

P.S. the most universal breathing exercise (sound on)

Coaching

Breathing & Mindfulness 1-on-1 (I currently cannot take on new clients. But if you’re interested, please send me a message, and I’ll let you know when space opens.)

Support this Newsletter

If you enjoy getting these each week, consider donating to keep me breathing. Anything helps and is appreciated 🙏

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.

 
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Smiling, Heart at Ease, and a Life-Changing Shift in Perspective

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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 43 sec

I hope the next 25’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. The Mindful Artist

“The artist actively works to experience life slowly, and then to re-experience the same thing anew.”

– Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

I think this could also define someone living mindfully, a mindful artist, we might say, experiencing each breath anew. (Maybe not all day, every day, but at least during their morning practice 😊).

2. Smile Before Putting (and breathing)

“One tip I've shared with many golfers is a simple one: smile a little bit before each putt. Frowning is something your body does automatically when you've engaged your conscious mind to concentrate on a problem. Smiling tends to be something your body does when you're relaxed and happy and your subconscious brain is in control. Smiling can help putting. Try it and see.”

- Dr. Bob Rotella, How Champions Think​​

​

For these same reasons, smiling before (or during) a slow, deep, nasal breath can also be helpful. Try it and see 🙏

3. A New 2024 Meta-Analysis on Slow Breathing

“In conclusion, the current meta-analysis showed that slow-paced breathing had significant immediate beneficial effects on SBP, HR and time-domain HRV (RMSSD and SDNN), but not on DBP or frequency-domain HRV. Slow-paced breathing also had a modest effect in reducing negative emotions, particularly perceived stress.”

- The Effect of Slow-Paced Breathing on Cardiovascular and Emotion Functions: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Nothing too shocking here, but my overall takeaway was: Slow breathing, at least in the short term, generally had positive effects on cardiovascular and emotional health. Check out the study for more.

4. A Life-Changing Exercise and Shift of Perspective

“The next time you find yourself doing something embarrassing, I encourage you to try to think about how it could be seen as funny. What about your mistake is humorous? What was surprising, silly, or just plain ridiculous? How would someone on the outside see it, and why might they laugh? You’ll be surprised by how often a humorous interpretation is available if you only go looking for it.”

- Gladys McGarey, MD, The Well-Lived Life

Last week, we discussed how laughing is the most therapeutic breathing exercise, tickling your adrenals and thus easing your heart.

Here, we learn a simple practice to help make humor part of our day. I’ve done it several times since reading it, and it’s truly life-changing.

1 Quote

“When the heart is at ease, the body is healthy.””
— Chinese Proverb

1 Answer

Category: Breath Words

Answer: Although less commonly used, this word refers to taking a long, deep breath, like a sigh.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is suspiration?

In good breath,

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

P.S. i won’t rest until i’ve cracked this case!

Coaching

Breathing & Mindfulness 1-on-1 (I currently cannot take on new clients. But if you’re interested, please send me a message, and I’ll let you know when space opens.)

Support this Newsletter

If you enjoy getting these each week, consider donating to keep me breathing. Anything helps and is appreciated 🙏

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.

 
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Heroes, the Healing Power of Breathing, and the Key to Living Longer

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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 27ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. A 2023 Review: Mindfulness Slightly Improves HbA1c in Diabetes

“Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have shown that mindfulness interventions are effective in improving glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. The reduction in HbA1c levels is approximately 0.3%”

- Hamasaki (2023), Medicines

A 0.3% improvement is not super meaningful. However, they also found that mindfulness helped reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in people with diabetes. Together, that’s still pretty neat 👏

2. But Mindfulness Helps in Less Quantifiable Ways, Too

For diabetes (or any condition), mindfulness helps in less quantifiable ways, too. Perhaps the most important is that, with increased awareness, we begin to notice variability in our symptoms. This gives us back some control over our condition:

“Put plainly, paying attention to variability helps us see that symptoms come and go, which helps us home in on the situations and circumstances that might contribute to these fluctuations so that we might exert some control over them. Having that kind of increased control gives rise to solutions that otherwise would not be forthcoming, as well as more optimism and less stress, which give rise to greater health in general.”

- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., The Mindful Body

Sounds good to me 👏👏👏

3. Nasal Breathing while Walking: The Key to Living Longer?

I feel obliged to share this amazing passage I read on Thursday morning in 52 Ways to Walk (such a good book, too):

“Obsessed with notions of health, he was fascinated by his breathing. In fact, Kant developed a technique of breathing solely through his nose—250 years before scientists recognized the role of nasal breathing for good health. Kant was so determined to breathe only through his nose that he refused to walk with a companion, fearful that conversation might inadvertently make him inhale through his mouth. Kant lived to just short of his eightieth birthday, a phenomenal age in 1804.”

4. The Healing Power of Breathing

The healing power of breathing is less about actual physical healing (although it can do that) and more about giving us back agency.

Controlling our breath shows us that we can control our mental and physical state, and this provides a sense of agency in all of life.

By controlling our breath, we become our own healers (and heroes).

1 Quote

“In order to heal, you may wish to become your own hero.””
— Gabor Maté, MD

1 Answer

Category: Slow Breathing & Pain

Answer: Slow breathing is thought to increase the release of these, which help explain its pain-reducing effects.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are endorphins?

In good breath,

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


P.S. thank u for coming to my ted talk

iCalm for Focused Relaxation

If you haven’t already, try iCalm. They called it “meditation in a bottle”…I gave in and bought…and now I use it almost daily, lol. Use discount code NICK20 for 20% off.

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.

 
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When Laughter Occurs, Choosing Joy, and a New Favorite Passage

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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: 2 min 19 sec

I hope the next 35ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. This May Be My New Favorite Passage on Mindfulness

“Cultivating mindfulness is a way to pour energy in the form of attention, awareness, and acceptance into what is already right with you, what is already whole, as a complement to, not a substitute for, whatever help and support and treatments you may be receiving or need—if you need any at all—and see what happens.”

- Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., The Healing Power of Mindfulness

I could read that all day. And I can think of no better motivation for practicing mindfulness than that passage 👏

2. When Laughter Occurs…

“When laughter occurs, respiratory exchange processes are enhanced, blood pressure is reduced, and the body produces endorphins which act not only as mood enhancers, but also as a natural pain killer. Psychological enhancements include reduced anxiety and stress as well as increased self-esteem and self-efficacy”

- Brett Bartholomew, Conscious Coaching

Just a reminder to laugh a little bit today…it’s the most therapeutic breathing exercise : )

3. How Breathing Impacts Whole-Body Energy

“The nose, trachea (windpipe), lungs, circulatory system, and their attendant muscles all act to transport or modify oxygen from the surrounding air to make it readily available to individual cells. Each of these organs plays a crucial role in determining oxygen supply, and therefore energy availability, to cells at various levels within the body. Consequently, a change in functioning in any one of these systems could potentially alter the course of energy production within the entire body.”

- Alan Hymes, MD, Science of Breath

Sometimes, it seems crazy that breathing can have such a profound influence on our bodies and minds. Then, you read a passage like this from an MD and realize it’s not so crazy after all.

Because our breathing determines oxygen supply (and therefore energy availability), any change we make “could potentially alter the course of energy production within the entire body.” 👏

4. Choose Joy to Make It Effortless

“Almost anything can be made pleasurable if we don’t tell ourselves we have to do it. When we make it fun, trying becomes unnecessary. Consider how odd it sounds to try to eat something you like eating or do something you like doing. ... If we enjoy doing something, it will feel effortless. When we’re mindfully engaged, we don’t notice the presence or absence of effort.”

- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., The Mindful Body

This is a nice reminder that if we find a way to make our breathing/mindfulness/(whichever wellness practice you do) more enjoyable, it will become effortless. And if it’s effortless & enjoyable, we’ll be more consistent, and we’ll get much more out of it.

Deal of the Week: ResBiotic

ResBiotic a doctor-developed probiotic targeting the gut-lung connection. It’s one of the only probiotics I’ve found that doesn’t upset my stomach.

If you’re looking for an effective and simple way to support gut and lung health, check them out. They're offering 411 readers 15% off with the code BREATH411 at checkout.

Let me know what you think if you try it out!

1 Quote

“You didn’t come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. You are not a stranger here.””
— Alan Watts

1 Answer

Category: Oxygen Transport

Answer: Approximately this percentage of total oxygen transported in the blood is carried by hemoglobin, with the remaining dissolved directly in the plasma.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 98%?


1 Spots Left

I have 1 spots left in October for my 8-week program for overcoming stressful life setbacks. Email nick@thebreathingdiabetic.com with subject line “breath” to learn more.

In good breath,

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


P.S. hey sorry i overreacted

iCalm for Focused Relaxation

If you haven’t already, try iCalm. They called it “meditation in a bottle”…I gave in and bought…and now I use it almost daily, lol. Use discount code NICK20 for 20% off.

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.

 
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One Solution to Stress, Getting More, and the Best $0.99 I’ve Spent

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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: 2 min 12 sec

I hope the next 33ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. The Most Ubiquitous Form of Stress (and one solution to it)

“Our bodies get worn down more quickly under chronic stress, and chronic uncertainty is the most ubiquitous form of chronic stress.”

- Elissa Epel, Ph.D., The Stress Prescription

Our greatest, “most ubiquitous form of chronic stress” is uncertainty. (This statement holds up in my life. It’s mind-blowingly obvious, yet I’ve never realized it.)

One of Dr. Epel’s Solutions: Accept and embrace uncertainty as an unavoidable part of life. Easy to say, harder to do.

My Way of Doing It: Practice mindfulness of breathing, learning to cultivate an attitude of nonjudgmental acceptance as you receive each breath exactly as it is. This mindset will transfer to your perspective off the cushion, too.

2. A Simple Way for Getting More Out of Your Practice

Before you start:

“Take a moment to reflect on your motivation, making sure that the wish to practice for the benefit of all beings is present in the mind.”

- Anyen Rinpoche & Allison Choying Zangmo, The Tibetan Yoga of Breath

It only takes 5-10 seconds, and you can adopt this beautiful mindset for any wellness practice you do 👏

3. Mindfulness is Contagious (you can make others healthier)

“As more than forty years of research has shown, mindfulness is good for our health. The research on mindful contagion suggests that one person’s mindfulness may increase another person’s mindfulness. Thus, I think it may be the case that the people around us with whom we interact may actually be having a positive effect on our health.”

- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., The Mindful Body

✅ Mindfulness is good for our health.

✅ Our mindfulness can increase another person’s mindfulness.

Thus, deductive logic tells us that, by practicing mindfulness, we may be able to positively impact the health of those around us 🙏

4. Becoming Your Own Island

“You don’t need a course in silence or relaxation to be able simply to pause. Silence can be anywhere, anytime—it’s just in front of your nose.”

- Erling Kagge, Silence

That’s amazing by itself, but it got even better. Kagge went on to say, “Sure, we are all part of the same continent, but the potential wealth of being an island for yourself is something you carry around with you all the time.”

“An island for yourself” <– That’s so good 👏

Here’s to using our breath to create our own island of silence, today.

BONUS: The Best $0.99 cents I’ve Spent

This gentle, fade-in alarm clock: Progressive Alarm Clock (this is iPhone specific, but it looks like Android has other good options).

P.S. I just Googled “gentle alarm clock” and found this one. Perhaps there are better ones out there, but this does the trick for me.

1 Quote

“I recommend breathwork to almost all patients that I see because, in my experience, stress is a primary cause (or an aggravating cause) of most cases of illness. And even if people have diseases that clearly have organic physical causes, relaxation can nonetheless benefit them and help their body’s healing system work better.””
— Andrew Weil, MD

1 Answer

Category: Respiratory Tract

Answer: The upper & lower respiratory tracts are lined with this, which can trap small particles, thus helping to filter incoming air.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is a mucous membrane?


3 Spots Left

I have 3 spots left in October for my 8-week program for overcoming stressful life setbacks. Email nick@thebreathingdiabetic.com with subject line “breath” to learn more.

In good breath,

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


P.S. achieved full enlightenment

iCalm for Focused Relaxation

If you haven’t already, try iCalm. They called it “meditation in a bottle”…I gave in and bought…and now I use it almost daily, lol. Use discount code NICK20 for 20% off.

* 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.

 
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Mind-Body Unity, the Real Power of Breath, and a Beautiful Resilience

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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 55 sec

I hope the next 30ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. After a Breathing, Mindfulness, Yoga/etc. Session, Ask Yourself this:

“How does it feel to be like this? Does it feel natural? Is this a way you would want to continue to be in your life?”

– Rosamund Oliver

Then, if it is a way you’d like to continue to be in your life, use it as motivation to carry that feeling into the rest of your day 🙏

2. Slow Breathing: External vs. Self-Paced

You can choose a rate (say, 6 breaths a minute), use an app, breathe at that rate, and feel great. I’ve done this for years.

However, you can also let your body set the pace: you can voluntarily breathe slowly without using an external pacer.

Here’s a great explanation of why this works from Yogani. He’s talking about spinal breathing, but it applies to slow breathing in general:

“The time it takes will be different for each person. It can be different for the same person from day to day, depending on the course of purification occurring in the nervous system. It can even vary in a single spinal breathing session we are doing. Duration is a function of our inner neurobiological processes and our metabolism, which change as the processes of inner purification and opening are occurring. // In spinal breathing we comfortably favor slow deep breathing, whatever that is for us in the moment. That is what determines the duration.”

3. If Mind and Body are One, Then…

“If mind and body are one, we can do more than change the body by changing the mind; we can change the mind by changing the body.”

- Ellen Langer, Ph.D., The Mindful Body

And this is precisely the power of breathing. It’s the most direct path to realizing this mind-body unity.

Change your breathing, to change your body, to change your mind.

4. But the Real Healing Power of Breathing Lies Here

The real healing power of breathing lies in metaphor:

  • When we accept the breath as it is (mindfulness of breathing), we learn to accept life just as it is, helping us see reality more clearly.

  • When we control our breath (breathing exercises), we discover a locus of control over our body and mind in any situation.

  • And when we examine the breath with curiosity, we learn that everything—all the mundane, everyday, overlooked aspects of life—can become interesting with mindful awareness.

P.S. We deeply explore and apply these metaphors (along with the actual physical & emotional benefits of breathing) in my 8-week coaching for overcoming stressful setbacks. Email me at nick@thebreathingdiabetic.com with subject line “breath” and I’ll send you more details.

1 Quote

“Laughter is a beautiful form of resilience, one that evinces a generosity of spirit.””
— Erika Sánchez

1 Answer

Category: Involuntary Breathwork

Answer: These are repeated spasms of your diaphragm accompanied by sound from your vocal cords.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are hiccups?

In good breath,

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


P.S. up for the October challenge?

iCalm for Focused Relaxation

If you haven’t already, try iCalm, an awesome product made by a mindful and loving company (use discount code NICK20 for 20% off).

* 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.

 
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3 Simple Lessons, Why We Practice, and the Most Important Determinant

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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 30ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Breathing Exercises Reduce Oxidative Stress: 2023 Meta-Analysis

“Breathing exercises can improve the main biological indicators of OS [oxidative stress] toward the direction of antioxidation and improve the OS state by increasing the levels of antioxidants and reducing those of oxidative markers.”

– Li et al. (2023), Frontiers in Medicine

This 2023 meta-analysis examined 10 studies, finding that breathing exercises of all kinds (fast, slow, inspiratory muscle training, and so on) significantly reduce biomarkers of oxidative stress. Breath practices also increase the body’s antioxidant capacity, which may benefit both healthy and disease states 👏

2. The Most Important Determinant & the Mother of Mindfulness

Ellen Langer, Ph.D., put the word mindfulness on the map in western psychology (she’s even referred to as the “mother of mindfulness”).

I’m reading her latest book (she’s one of my favorite authors), The Mindful Body, and I felt obliged to share this passage because it’s so good. Enjoy:

“But my use of the word “mindfulness” also, importantly, refers to a condition of the body. Indeed, I believe our psychology may be the most important determinant of our health. I’m not just speaking of harmony between mind and body. I believe the mind and body comprise a single system, and every change in the human being is essentially simultaneously a change at the level of the mind (that is, a cognitive change) as well as the body (a hormonal, neural, and/or behavioral change). When we open our minds to this idea of mind-body unity, new possibilities for controlling our health become real.” (my emphasis)

3. Three Simple Lessons about Breathing

  1. The best morning breathing exercise is a good night’s sleep.

  2. The best healing breathing exercise is a good dose of laughter.

  3. And the best time of day for breathing exercises is always right now.

4. Experiencing Wholeness: Why We Practice

“Through ongoing practice, we can come to live in a more integrated way from day to day and from moment to moment, in touch with our own wholeness and connectedness and aware of our interconnectedness with others, with the larger world in which we find ourselves, and with life itself. Feeling whole, even for brief moments, nourishes us on a deep level.”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, Full Catastrophe Living

That’s why we practice: it brings us wholeness. And even if we only experience wholeness briefly, it still “nourishes us on a deep level” 🙏

1 Quote

“The silence around us may contain a lot, but the most interesting kind of silence is the one that lies within. A silence which each of us must create.””
— Erling Kagge

1 Answer

Category: Breathing 101

Answer: This is the clinical name for shortness of breath.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is dyspnea?

In good breath,

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


P.S. how to make parties more interesting

iCalm for Focused Relaxation

If you haven’t already, try iCalm, an awesome product made by a mindful and loving company (use discount code NICK20 for 20% off).

* 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.

 
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A Smile, Perfect Advice on Methods, and I Was Happy Until this Moment

,

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: 2 min 1 sec

I hope the next 30ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Science of Breath: A Practical Guide

“There is no such thing as an involuntary system if the student learns to regulate the motion of the lungs. For by doing so, a vast portion of that system is brought under his voluntary control.”

– Swami Rama, Science of Breath

That is, in a nutshell, the science of breath. By controlling the breath, we gain control of involuntary processes (via our autonomic nervous system), giving us access to better physical, mental, and spiritual health 👏

***

P.S. Of course, there’s a lot more to the science of breathing. So, if you’re interested, I can’t recommend this book enough (I’m ashamed it’s taken me this long to read it). If you don’t have time to read all day, you can also sign up at BreathLearning.com to get my 6-page and 21-minute podcast summary of this one (and many others).

2. That’s a Smile of Enlightenment

“The moment you wake up, right away, you can smile. That’s a smile of enlightenment. You are aware that a new day is beginning, that life is offering you twenty-four brand-new hours to live, and that that’s the most precious of gifts.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Breath

I began doing this after reading the book, and it’s genuinely life-changing (even if it’s an awkward smile with my mouth tape, lol).

Try it tomorrow morning (or anytime, really) and see how you feel 🙏

3. Perfect Advice on Methods and Teachers

“While you practice a particular method, it can be helpful to believe that your technique—or your teacher or lineage or meditation center—is the best. You feel fortunate. This mobilizes energy and often inspires strong practice. But as you grow on the path, more ingenuity is called for. You have to become self-reliant and see what you need from moment to moment.”

- Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening

This is so good. I love how Rosenberg acknowledges the power of believing your approach is the best…“This mobilizes energy and often inspires strong practice”…while simultaneously recognizing that it will eventually change 👏

I hope it helps you wherever you are on your path, too.

4. Our Intrinsic Wholeness is Still Here

“Wholeness and connectedness are what are most fundamental in our nature as living beings. No matter how many scars we carry from what we have gone through and suffered in the past, our intrinsic wholeness is still here…”

- Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, Full Catastrophe Living

That is all 🙏

1 Quote

“It’s a mistake to think too much about the goal and to ask too often about it. I was happy on those hikes with my parents. ... Happy until the moment when I started asking how much farther it was.””
— Erling Kagge

1 Answer

Category: Cellular Respiration

Answer: This is defined as the volume of CO2 produced divided by the volume of O2 absorbed during cellular respiration.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the respiratory quotient?

In good breath,

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


P.S. I will not be awkward today

Get Calm & Focused w/o Meditating

I take 1/2 a bottle of iCalm every morning, just before my first sip of coffee. It’s amazing.

In fact, although I don’t have much disposable income right now, I prioritize these each month because they’re so helpful.

If you’d like to try them, use the code NICK20 to get 20% off 🙏

Get the iCalm Relaxation Shot

 
 

* 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.

 
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Is this Amazing or Dangerous, Longevity, and How to Create More Time

,

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 😊


4 THOUGHTS

1. Yoga Breathing, Meditation, and Longevity

“By inducing stress resilience, breath work enables us to rapidly and compassionately relieve many forms of suffering.”

– Brown and Gerbarg (2009)

Here’s my take-home from this excellent narrative review 👏

Yogic breathing and meditation are complementary practices that may enhance longevity by improving nervous system health and stress resiliency, boosting emotional health, enhancing brain health, and reducing suffering associated with disasters.

***

P.S. Sign up at BreathLearning.com to get the PDF & podcast summaries for this one, and tons of other science articles & books.

2. Amazing or Dangerous? Mindful Breathing Preserves Focus After Multitasking

I’m not sure if this finding is (1) just amazing or (2) potentially dangerous, lol. But it’s too neat not to share 😊

“For instance, research at Stanford University found that if you are focused on an important project and then stop to answer a text or email, and end up browsing the web, when you finally return to your important project your focus has dimmed. It takes you some time to ramp up your concentration to the previous level. Unless you did ten minutes of mindfulness of your breath a couple of times that day—then you have little or no loss of concentration after ‘multitasking.’”

– Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., Why We Meditate

3. Affecting Deep Physical and Psychological Changes

“As the breath is the link between the body and mind, it can intervene in the activities of either level. With increased awareness and control of the subtle aspects of breathing, these interventions can affect deep physical and psychological changes.”

- John Clarke, MD, Science of Breath

Just a compelling reminder of how powerful breathing exercises and simple mindful breath awareness are. Because the breath literally and metaphorically links the body and mind, such interventions “can affect deep physical and psychological changes.” 👏

4. Don’t Have Time to Breathe or Meditate? (maybe this passage will be inspiring)

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that one saves time travelling only two hours from one point to another instead of spending eight hours on the same journey. While this holds up mathematically, my experience is the opposite: time passes more quickly when I increase the speed of travel. My speed and time accelerate in parallel. It is as if the duration of a single hour becomes less than a clock-hour. When I am in a rush, I hardly pay attention to anything at all.”

- Erling Kagge, Walking: One Step at a Time

Although this passage is about travel and walking, it applies perfectly to breathing or meditation.

By taking time out of your already busy morning to meditate or breathe, you actually create more time because you slow things down.

So, instead of thinking, “I don’t have time to do this,” think, “I create time by doing this.”

1 Quote

“Sometimes, you get lucky in life, when the most important thing you need to do turns out to also be the simplest. One example is breathing. Breathing is the most important thing we need to do in our lives, and for most of us, it is also the easiest thing we ever do. If you belong to the population of people who can breathe effortlessly, you are so lucky!””
— Chade-Meng Tan

1 Answer

Category: Nasal Drainage

Answer: These eventually go down the nasolacrimal duct, draining into your nose, often causing people to need a tissue.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are tears?

In good breath,

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


P.S. so true

I Take 1/2 Bottle Every Morning

I take 1/2 a bottle of iCalm every morning, just before my first sip of coffee. It’s amazing, and I absolutely love them.

In fact, although I don’t have much disposable income right now, I prioritize these each month because they’re so helpful.

If you’d like to try them, use the code NICK20 to get 20% off 🙏

Get the iCalm Relaxation Shot

 
 

* 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.

 
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HIIB?, a Trick for Being Present, and Becoming More Joyous

,

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 😊


4 THOUGHTS

1. High-Intensity Interval…Breathing?

Here’s why we should add intensity of intention to mindful breathing:

“[T]he more intensely you are attending to the present moment, the more temporary freedom you gain from regrets about the past and worries about the future. Furthermore, the more intensely you practice, the longer the benefits linger after the practice.”

- Chade-Meng Tan, Joy On Demand

So, the more intensely you focus on the breath, the greater joy you experience, and the longer the benefits linger. Sounds good to me.

Practically, one way of doing this is through what we might jokingly call High-Intensity Interval Breathing: Instead of a continuous 20-minute mindful breathing session, break it into four “intense” 4-minute sessions, with a 1-minute break between each.

Give it a try and see if you like it 🙏

2. Make a Good First Impression

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

– Will Rogers

Each morning, when we wake up, we meet a new day. We can make a good first impression by doing our breathing practice first thing.

The day will like you more (and treat you kinder).

***

P.S. Aim for consistency: Each day you meet is different, and today doesn’t remember yesterday’s introduction 😊

3. Picturing Trampolines: A Trick for Staying Present

Here’s a trick the staff psychologist for British Rowing offered in the 2003 World Championships to help the rowers focus on the process instead of the outcome:

“The rowers were instructed to picture a trampoline at the finish line, tipped onto its side so that any thought of theirs that jumped ahead to the outcome would bounce back to the present moment. They bought into it and it worked.”

– Matt Fitzgerald, The Comeback Quotient

That seems like it would be a helpful visualization in all of life 👏

4. Becoming More Present, Joyous, and Warm-Hearted

“The benefits of quieting the mind include becoming more calm and clear. But resting in pure awareness goes a step beyond this sense of quiet. Richard Davidson, who studied the brains of highly advanced yogis who had attained this level, tells me that he had never met any group of people so present, joyous, and warm-hearted.”

- Daniel Goleman, Why We Meditate

In my opinion, that last sentence answers the book title: We meditate (or do breathing, yoga, etc.) to become more present, joyous, and warm-hearted.

1 Quote

“I can only meditate when I am walking, when I stop I cease to think; my mind only works with my legs.””
— Jean-Jacques Rousseau

1 Answer

Category: Stress Hormones

Answer: This “breathing exercise” has been shown to significantly reduce cortisol, one of the primary stress hormones.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is laughter?

Don’t forget to get your dose today : )

In good breath,

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


P.S. Meditation in a nutshell

Try iCalm 20% Off

iCalm is a relaxation shot with just 4 ingredients: Taurine, L-Theanine, Lemon Balm Extract, and GABA. I absolutely love them.

If you’d like to try them, use the code NICK20 to get 20% off 🙏

Get the iCalm Relaxation Shot

 
 

* 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 Gratitude Works, Fast Breathing, and Coming Home in a Loving Way

,

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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 😊


4 THOUGHTS

1. Mindful Breath Awareness Improves Impulsivity and Brain Dynamics

“In sum, we show that a relatively short period of mindfulness practice…significantly changes brain dynamics related to the internal monitoring of response conflicts and related errors.”

– Pozuelos et al. (2019)

Using cognitive tests and EEG, this study found that practicing mindful breath awareness for 17 minutes, five days a week, for three weeks improved impulse control and brain dynamics related to metacognition.

As the authors say, “These findings contribute to clarifying the mechanisms through which mindfulness meditation practice promotes positive outcomes.” 👏👏👏

2. That’s How Gratitude Works…

“That’s how gratitude works, transforming not reality itself but how reality is seen.”

– Matt Fitzgerald, The Comeback Quotient

If you’ve ever finished a mindful, slow breathing practice (or any contemplative practice) and noticed that everything around you seems more peaceful and beautiful, this is why.

These practices naturally cultivate gratitude, which doesn’t change reality, but how reality is seen.

3. Fast Walking as a Breathing Metaphor

Two questions for you:

  1. Have you ever walked really fast to catch a flight?

  2. Have you ever walked fast just as exercise?

The first creates stress and anxiety.

The second creates attainment and flow.

Same process, different outcome.

That’s what deliberate versus unconscious fast breathing is like.

If you’re doing it purposefully and safely as an exercise, it can be beneficial (and even life-changing for some).

But if you’re doing it unconsciously or to “get somewhere fast,” it’ll have the opposite effect.

4. The Only Thing that Works for Improving Attention

“You cannot simply decide to pay attention ‘better.’ No matter how much I tell you about how attention works and why, and no matter how motivated you are, the way your brain pays attention cannot be fundamentally altered by sheer force of will…Instead, we need to train our brains to work differently. And the exciting news is: at long last, we’ve actually figured out how.”

- Amishi Jha, Ph.D., Peak Mind

And what did they figure out works? Mindfulness of breathing. As she says, “mindfulness training was the only brain-training tool that consistently worked to strengthen attention across our studies.”

1 Quote

“Breath is your means of bringing yourself back home to your body in the most loving way, to tailor your connections to yourself so that you feel less fractured and fragmented and more solid and whole.””
— Jill Miller

P.S. This came from Jill’s new book, Body by Breath.

1 Answer

Category: Meta-Awareness

Answer: The ability to monitor your actions and progress toward a predefined goal is known as this metacognitive skill.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is response monitoring?

In good breath,

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


P.S. Can’t sleep. Let’s see if this works

Try iCalm 20% Off

iCalm is a relaxation shot with just 4 ingredients: Taurine, L-Theanine, Lemon Balm Extract, and GABA. I absolutely love them.

If you’d like to try them, use the code NICK20 to get 20% off 🙏

Get the iCalm Relaxation Shot

 
 

* 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.

 
,

Better Mental Health, Letting Go with Gratitude, and Is This Healing?

,

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 😊


4 THOUGHTS



1. Breathing for Better Mental and Emotional Health


“The information presented is interesting and inspiring. The power of conscious breathing can't be overstated. I've benefited physically, mentally and spiritually from taking this course.”

– Tina Gilbertson (May 2023 Class)


A reminder that I’ll be running a 4-week Breathing for Better Mental & Emotional Health Course starting August 20th (session recordings available for those who can’t attend live).

In addition to the positive anecdotal feedback I received, the May 2023 class achieved a 35% reduction in stress:

 
 


The Three Skills You’ll Learn:

  1. Mindful Breath Awareness (Week 1)

  2. Mindful Slow Breathing (Weeks 2 & 3; Week 3 is my favorite)

  3. Remembered Wellness & Wholeness (Week 4)

You can sign up for just $195 before 11:59 p.m. EST on August 4th.

I hope you’ll consider joining 🙏

Click Here to Learn More and Enroll

(Use discount code EARLY100 if it’s not already applied.)

2. Mindfulness and The Everlasting Audience Effect

The Audience Effect: ‘The effect of passive onlookers or spectators on an individual's task performance.’

I think we could argue that mindfulness creates an everlasting audience effect of one. And it always changes your behavior for the best, because the one onlooker is the most important of all: you.

3. Your Seatbelt for Everyday Life

“It’s like when you’re flying in an airplane. Whenever severe turbulence comes along, the seatbelt keeps you from getting thrown around the cabin. Mindful breathing is your seatbelt in everyday life—it keeps you safe here in the present moment.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Breath

Experiencing any turbulence in your life?

(Of course you are, you’re human 😊)

Just remember: “Mindful breathing is your seatbelt in everyday life—it keeps you safe here in the present moment.” < — 👏👏👏

4. Something That Helped Me Tremendously This Week

What Helped: Letting go while cultivating gratitude.

This was inspired by How Bad Do You Want It?, which I read and immediately re-read because it was so good.

A lesson I took from it was that the greatest athletes learn to let go of winning and instead experience gratitude for being able to compete in their chosen sport. (Paradoxically, this is how they end up winning.)

Of course, we’re all endurance athletes in the sport of life, so we can use this approach as well. I’ve consciously adopted it in two practices:

  1. While doing my morning walks

  2. While doing my morning breathing

If you feel so inspired, try it out in any activity you do:

  1. Let go of winning or any desired outcome you have.

  2. Cultivate gratitude that you’re able to perform the action.

1 Quote

“What if learning how to inhabit silence and stillness and awareness—especially when you do so with kindness, with patience, and with self-compassion—is itself healing?””
— Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: Stress Hormones

Answer: Consistent practice of diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to reduce levels of this primary stress hormone.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is cortisol?

In good breath,

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


P.S. Since I didn’t win the Mega Millions…

Get iCalm 20% Off

Try out the iCalm Relaxation Shot. It’s a perfect modern complement to our contemplative practices 🙏

Use the code NICK20 to get 20% off.

Get the iCalm Relaxation Shot

 
 

* 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.

 
,

All 3 at Once, Laughing Monks, and Naturally Arising Compassion

,

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 😊

4 THOUGHTS


1. Breathing Does All Three at Once

A body scan focuses on your physical being.

Observing your thoughts focuses on your mental being.

Observing your beliefs focuses on your spiritual being.

But being with your breath does all three.

2. Maybe We Shouldn’t Be Surprised?

Imagine the power in your home goes out.

Would you walk into every room, try each electronic, and then act surprised every time they didn’t work? “The coffee maker won’t start!” “The internet won’t turn on!” “The TV isn’t working either!”

Of course not. But that’s sort of what we do with breathing studies: “Breathing helps our brain!” “It also helps our heart!” “It also helps us sleep better!”

But like the power lines feeding our homes, breathing is the power feeding our bodies. Without it, nothing else works; however, when it’s working correctly, everything inside works better, too.

So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised when breathing helps our bodies in some way. Maybe we should be surprised when it doesn’t…

3. Mindfulness plus Slow Breathing equals Amplified Benefits

“In both groups, meditation acutely decreased arterial and cerebral oxygen saturation, reduced chemoreflex sensitivity, and prolonged the RR interval, independently of respiration. Conversely, slow breathing improved heart rate variability, independently of concurrent meditation.”

- Bernardi et al. (2017), Psychophysiology

This study isolated the unique benefits of mantra-based mindfulness vs. slow breathing. As stated, they found that meditation alone reduced metabolism, whereas slow breathing alone increased HRV.

But in my opinion, the most practical finding was that combining them into one practice may provide the best of both techniques.

Here is a simple way to do it:

  1. Pick an emotionally meaningful word (“peace,” “love,” etc.)

  2. Focus on and silently repeat that word to yourself while exhaling during your slow breathing practice.

4. Laughing Monks: A Story to Contemplate

“For example, when Varela put on an EEG cap, which uses electrodes to measure electrical activity in the brain, monks from the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala laughed and said, ‘How could we be measuring anything to do with the mind by putting a cap on the head? The mind is here!’—pointing to their hearts.”

– Clifford Saron, Ph.D., The Healing Power of Meditation

 

Reading that story (and its multiple implicit lessons) a few times is like a meditation in itself 😊

1 Quote

“It is not even logical, but it seems that when the human mind is open, compassion is the most natural thing to arise, and I think that is a key part of what we call mindfulness training.””
— Dr. Edel Maex

1 Answer

Category: Brain Changes

Answer: Meditation, like breath awareness, can increase the density of this brain tissue, which is where neurons talk to each other, and information processing happens.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is grey matter?

In good breath,

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


P.S. How to deal with stress

* 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.

 
,

Alzheimer’s, Nose vs. Mouth, and How to Find the Perfect Practice

,

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 😊

4 THOUGHTS


1. The Smiling of Breathing

Slow breathing is to breath exercises what smiling is to facial expressions.

2. Slow Breathing Might Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s

“As far as we can tell from the published literature and ClinicalTrials.gov searches, this study provides the first evidence of a behavioral intervention that reduces Aβ levels (measured with plasma, CSF or PET) compared to a randomized control group.”

– Nature Sci Rep (2023)

 

This recently-published study found that 20-40 minutes of daily slow breathing reduces levels of amyloid-β, a key Alzheimer’s biomarker, in younger and older adults, suggesting that it may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and promote healthy brain aging.

Pretty remarkable stuff 👏

3. How to Find the Perfect Practice

  • If you studied basketball in great detail, you could probably find a lot of health benefits.

  • If you studied surfing in great detail, you could probably find a lot of health benefits.

  • If you studied tennis in great detail, you could probably find a lot of health benefits.

Likewise:

  • If you study slow breathing in great detail, you’ll find a lot of health benefits.

  • If you study mindfulness in great detail, you’ll find a lot of health benefits.

  • If you study yoga in great detail, you’ll find a lot of health benefits.

The difference?

People choose sports based on joy and pleasure, but often choose a contemplative path just based on the science and health benefits. 

Let’s do our best to balance both, but emphasize joy.  If we focus on joy, the benefits of any practice will take care of themselves.

4. Nose vs Mouth: A Mindful Observation of Nature’s Design

You can have your mouth open or closed. But there’s no such thing as having your nose “opened or closed.” Your nose is always open, always ready to be breathed through.

There’s a lesson from nature in there…

***

P.S. Of course, this breaks down if you’re sick, have bad allergies, or have another medical condition blocking it. But you get the idea : )

1 Quote

“Mindfulness lets us see things in a new light and believe in the possibility of change.””
— Ellen Langer, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: Breathing & the Brain

Answer: Slow deep breathing impacts this fluid, which plays a critical role in “cushioning” the brain and spinal cord while also distributing nutrients and hormones.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

In good breath,

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


P.S. There are two types of people

The Garlic Breath of the Week

Here is the most-liked post this past week.

* 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 Breath, Three Components, and the Most Effective Stress Remedy

,

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 😊

A New Three-Component Protocol for Reducing Stress

A reminder that I’m leading a 4-week course starting May 7th called Breathing for Better Mental and Emotional Health.

Learn more about the course and enroll here.

The course is centered around a super simple yet extremely powerful protocol combining breathing, mindfulness, and remembered wellness.

As a 411 subscriber, you get a special 55% discount until April 23 using EARLYBIRD55.

You can also share the discount with any friends or family you think will benefit from the course 🙏

4 THOUGHTS


1. Stored Power: A Pretty Incredible Benefit of Slow Breathing

When you regularly practice slow breathing, you store its power away as potential energy in the form of vagal tone. It’s kind of like a bank account for slow breathing.

You then unconsciously draw from it throughout the day.

It might show up as a micro-moment of joy with the gas station attendant. Or randomly laughing with your spouse. Or having more patience with road construction. And on and on.

Thus, slow breathing has not only instant benefits, but also long-term physical and mental ones stored in vagal tone. Pretty incredible.

2. The Most Effective Stress Remedy

“[V]oluntary control of respiration patterns (breath control) is perhaps the oldest stress reduction technique known. It has been used for thousands of years to reduce anxiety and to promote a generalized state of relaxation.”

- Everly and Lating (2019)

 

This was from a chapter in a book called A Clinical Guide to the Treatment of the Human Stress Response.

It’s always amazing to see the power of the breath acknowledged in academic settings, but it was particularly neat to see in a book on the stress response.

Make sure you take advantage of the great gift we’ve been given—breath control—this week 🙏

3. Useful Links: Resistance Breathing Device + Airheads Breathwork Masterclass

Resistance Breathing:

Last week, I shared the Airofit breathing device. A reader responded and said this one is really good, plus it’s cheaper: Breather Fit.

Airheads Masterclass

A friend informed me of this Airheads Masterclass, which looks awesome. They’ve assembled quite an impressive list of rockstars…

***

P.S. Although I don’t know him IRL, I’m a huge fan of one of the hosts’ (one of the “Airheads,” Tom Granger) work with music and breathing. So, just wanna give that music a plug here.

4. A One-Breath Meditation: I’ve Never Seen This One Before

“This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.”

- Maya Angelou

We can use a play on that quote as a one-breath meditation you can say silently in your head anytime, anywhere:

“This is a wonderful breath. I’ve never seen this one before.”

1 Quote

“[A]s long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than there is wrong, no matter how ill or how hopeless you may feel.””
— Jon Kabat-Zinn

1 Answer

Category: Breathing and the Brain

Answer: One way breathing may positively (or negatively) affect our emotions is through its influence on this brain region.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the amygdala?

In good breath,

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


P.S. The Meme-ing Diabetic?

* 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.

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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.

 
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5 Favorite Breathing Products, 4 Favorite Newsletters, and the Here and Now

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4 THOUGHTS



1. The Power of Breath Awareness (a joyful abiding in the here & now)


“The breath accompanies you the full length of life’s road: you learn about the body, feelings, mental formations, the mind itself, and, finally, the lawfulness of impermanence and emptiness of a substantial self.”

- Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening


This passage beautifully highlights the power of breath awareness.

And perhaps this power is why the Buddha formally practiced mindful breathing, even after attaining enlightenment:

“Even after full enlightenment, the Buddha himself set aside personal retreat time for the practice of mindfulness of breathing, calling it ‘a joyful abiding in the here and now.’”

Here’s to using our breath to joyfully abide in the here and now a little more this week 🙏



2. Change How You Feel (almost instantaneously)


“Our breathing pattern can have an enormous effect on our psycho-physical state.  This means that changing the way we breathe can literally change the way we feel, almost instantaneously.  Want to be relaxed? Breathe like you already are.”

– Charlie Morley, Wake Up to Sleep

 

I’ve shared passages like this probably a dozen times now.  But it never gets old, because it’s the most powerful part of breathing: we can almost instantaneously change how we feel anytime, anywhere.

Make sure you use this amazing gift at least once today 🙏




3. My 4 Favorite Newsletters


If you’re looking to diversify your wisdom, here are four of my favorite newsletters. There are many I enjoy, but I always read these four:

1. Light’s Daily Dose: This is my favorite one. It’s just a small inspirational wisdom nugget each day. It’s amazing. (Sign Up)

2. James Clear’s 3-2-1: You probably know this one. And of course, I copied his format ~3 years ago to create the “411” 😊 (Sign Up)

3. Brain Food: Random life-changing wisdom. A must-read every Sunday. (Sign Up)

4. Josh Spector’s Daily Email: The shortest email you’ll get. Sometimes it’s an idea, but usually a link to a cool resource. (Sign Up)



4. Five Breathing Products I Love


Although it’s hard for me to believe, people occasionally send me free breathing stuff. Here are some cool products I’ve tried and loved, in no particular order:

ResBiotic: Daily probiotic that targets the gut-lung access for better lung health. (Learn More)

Airofit: A super sophisticated resistance breathing device. (The one I use) (Here’s a cheaper Version that does same thing, just no bluetooth)

AER Filters: Gives our nose filtering a little boost. (UK store.) (If you’re in the US, you can get them on Amazon here.)

Anicca: A mindful breathing device. Don’t think it’s for sale to the public yet, but if you’re therapist of any kind, check it out. (Learn More)

BeWell “Breathing is Cool” Sweatshirt: Do yourself a favor, and go buy one of these right now. It’ll support an amazing cause, and you’ll have one of the coolest sweaters out there 🙏 (Link to Buy)


Breath is Life Learning Center

Learn & integrate different methods, philosophies, and approaches to breathing for better mental and physical health.

Join Today.

$14.99/month or $149/year

1 Quote

“May your adventures be truly great for as long as you take another breath. And may you live long as you seek to discover the wonders and the benefits that each breath has to offer in this, the journey of life.””
— Rev. Duffy Peet

1 Answer

Category: Sneezing

Answer: This reflex is characterized by successive sneezing as the result of exposure to bright light.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the photic sneeze reflex?

In good breath,

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


P.S. why do you have that thing?

* 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.

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.

 
,

Top 5 IG Accounts, “Embreathment”, and Breathing for Emotional Health

,

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 😊

4 THOUGHTS

1. The “Embreathment” Illusion

“This new way of inducing a respiratory bodily illusion, called “embreathment,” revealed that breathing is almost as important as visual appearance for inducing body ownership and more important than any other cue for body agency.”

- Monti et al. (2020)

This was such an awesome, fun-to-read study (and “embreathment” is possibly the coolest thing I’ve seen in a science paper).

They used virtual reality to assess how important breathing is for “corporeal awareness,” the feeling that we own a body, we have agency over that body, and that body occupies a location in space.

As the above quote illustrates, they found that, even without conscious awareness, breathing helps us feel more body ownership and, most significantly, a sense of body agency. Pretty crazy.

Those are the most important things, but this one had tons of other neat and practical results. If you’re interested, consider signing up for the Learning Center to get the full Science 411.

2. Endlessly Ending. Endlessly Renewed

“One of the most remarkable facts of existence is under our noses all of the time.  This is the Now of the present moment: endlessly ending, and endlessly renewed. Radically transient, yet always enduring.”

– Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma

 

“Endlessly ending, and endlessly renewed. Radically transient, yet always enduring.”…just like each breath.

I suppose this is why humanity has always regarded breathing as our gateway to presence…because it is presence : )

3. A Thought & Action on Breathing for Better Emotional Health

Thought

We cannot control our emotions with our thoughts (at least, I’ve never been able to). We can, however, regulate them with our actions. And breathing is the most accessible action we can perform anytime to help manage our emotions.

(Related Quote: “The finding that we can change how we feel by using our breath is revolutionary.” - Emma Seppälä, Ph.D.)

Action

Stop and notice where you feel breath sensations in your body, in whatever position you are currently occupying. Note how observing the breath naturally slows it down. Do this for 1-3 breaths, and notice how much better your mind and body feel after.

This is always available to you.

4. Five Instagram Accounts I Love

Here are 5 IG accounts I genuinely enjoy, in no particular order (there are many more, but these were the first to come to mind).

  1. HHPF: Best account for breathing studies.

  2. abc.breathworkforkids: One of the coolest accounts out there if you have kids or work with them.

  3. jaozolins: Brings life-changing wisdom to life with elegant yet simple designs (I could look at these posts all day).

  4. op_e__n: Beautiful designs, lots of breathing posts, and inspiring quotes.

  5. still.life: Awesome designs and inspirational content.

Become the Bruce Lee of Breathing

Learn & integrate different methods, philosophies, and approaches to breathing for better mental and physical health.

Join Today.

$14.99/month or $149/year

1 Quote

“Wherever you go, the breath is with you, providing an anchor. At moments that are right for you, you can turn to it just as you might turn to a good friend, to help you stay alert and cut down on the mind’s habitual, unnecessary thinking that often squanders so much energy.””
— Larry Rosenberg

1 Answer

Category: Aquatic Mammal Breathing

Answer: Dolphins can exhale air up to this fast.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is 100 mph?

In good breath,

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


P.S. I’m too witty for this class

* 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.

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.

 
,

Emotional Balance, Why Mindfulness, and Moving Beyond a Calm Mind

,

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 😊

4 THOUGHTS

1. Improve Emotional Balance with the Breath-Wind-Mind Connection

“Each time a gust of wind blows over the ocean, ripples and waves cause movement and agitation on the water’s surface. However, when the air is calm, so is the water. It is just so with the mind. The more often we breathe, the more agitated the energy of body and mind becomes. By breathing less frequently, we begin to achieve elemental harmony.”

- Anyen Rinpoche & Allison Choying Zangmo, The Tibetan Yoga of Breath

This beautiful analogy reminds us that the calmer we breathe, the more peaceful our minds. For this reason, the authors also say:

“As the [breath] is brought into balance and becomes more stable, neurotic tendencies lessen and even begin to disappear.”

Balance our breath, and we balance our emotional states.

***

P.S. Ironically, I find not balancing my breath the most balancing. For example, I often use slightly longer exhales and left-nostril breathing to elicit emotional equanimity. So play with it and find what works for you 🙏

2. The Liberating Power of Breath Awareness

“Breathing awareness is not just about calming the mind—a common assumption among meditators not familiar with this method. Rather, 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. The implications of such insightful seeing can be profound and liberating.”

- Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening

Here’s an excellent reminder that breath awareness—the most foundational of all mindfulness techniques—can be used to go beyond just “calming the mind.” It can help us “to see with greater clarity and accuracy the true nature of all forms.”

That sounds like a worthy goal to me 🙏

3. Why Mindfulness is a Part of All Breathing Practices

Almost all breathing practices start with breath awareness (this usually annoys me because I just want to get to the “good stuff,” lol).

But here’s why it’s so important: Without mindfulness, the benefits of the breathing practice will be minimal at best.

  • We need mindfulness to notice when we actually need breathing.

  • We need it to observe how our breathing reflects our emotions.

  • We need it to notice if the practice is actually helping in our lives.

Embrace mindfulness, and watch the power of any breathing method you use grow exponentially.

4. Abraham Maslow’s Teaching Philosophy (how can you use it?)

“Maslow viewed the role of the teacher, therapist, and parent as horticulturists, whose task is to ‘enable people to become healthy and effective in their own style.’ To Maslow, this meant that ‘we try to make a rose into a good rose, rather than seek to change roses into lilies. . .It necessitates a pleasure in the self-actualization of a person who may be quite different from yourself. It even implies an ultimate respect and acknowledgement of the sacredness and uniqueness of each kind of person.’”

- Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., Transcend

 

I absolutely love this, especially: “We try to make a rose into a good rose, rather than seek to change roses into lilies.” 👏👏👏

How might you apply this philosophy in your life, or in your role as a teacher or parent?

Breath is Life Learning Center

Timeless Wisdom + Modern Science Made Simple to Help You Live a Better Life

Join Today.

$14.99/month or $149/year

1 Quote

“And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.””
— Rainer Maria Rilke

1 Answer

Category: Breath Awareness

Answer: Bringing awareness to your breathing uses this sense, which means something like “sensing internal signals from your body.”

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is interoception?

In good breath,

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


P.S. That is such a great deal

* 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.

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.

 
,

3 Easy Mindful Breaths, Breathing's Version of AI, and 7/11 for 7/11

,
 

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 😊

 

4 Thoughts



1. A Different Kind of AI for Breathing (one that works in real life)

For breathing, we don’t need artificial intelligence. Instead, we can tap into a much more powerful AI: Ancient Intelligence.

Before modern scientific methods, ancient cultures built “breathing algorithms” based on what worked in real life. We just have to follow them.

Although there are countless resources out there, here are two to get started:

And here’s to using a little more breathing AI, today : )

***

P.S. This was inspired by this Brian Johnson +1 🙏

2. The Good Breath isn’t Achievable; It’s a Way of Breathing

“Instead, the good life that I present, which is deeply grounded in the core principles of humanistic psychology and a realistic understanding of human needs, is about the healthy expression of needs in the service of discovering and expressing a self that works best for you.

The good life is not something you will ever achieve. It’s a way of living.”

- Scott Barry Kaufman, Transcend

I absolutely love this passage. And with it, I introduce my version for breathing:

The good breath is deeply grounded in the principles of human physiology and psychology, along with a realistic understanding of individual human differences. It’s about the healthy expression of your emotions and highest potential through breathing practices that work best for you.

The good breath isn’t something we try to achieve. It’s simply a way of breathing.

***

Related: The Deep Breath Hypothesis

3. Knowing isn’t Enough: You Have to Use the Breath

“As strange as it may sound, we tell ourselves that because we know how to repel a symptom …, we don't have to actually use the tool any longer.

[…] But if you want to build stronger muscles, you can't just think about lifting weights—you actually have to do the exercises.

In the same way, if you want to increase your Life Force, you have to actually use the tools.”

- Barry Michels and Phil Stutz, Coming Alive

I think they actually wrote that first sentence for me 😂

Just a reminder that, no matter how much we “know,” we still have to practice.

This goes for breathing or any other tool we use for a better life.

4. 7/11 for 7/11: Slow Relaxing Breathing for 7 to 11 Minutes

Since it’s 7/11, I invite you to practice 7/11 breathing with me:

  • 7-second inhale

  • 11-second exhale

  • Do this for between 7 to 11 mins (I did 10 this morning)

I’ve been using this rate almost every day for about 3 years, simply because 7 is my wife’s favorite number and 11 is mine <— super scientific 😂.

Give it a go and see how you feel 🙏

Extra: 3 Easy Ways to Relax with Mindful Breathing

Here’s another guest blog I wrote for ResBiotic. This is my favorite one yet : )

3 Easy Ways to Relax with Mindful Breathing

Enjoy the quick read!


1 QUOTE

“To meditate with mindful breathing is to bring body and mind back to the present moment so that you do not miss your appointment with life.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
 

1 ANSWER

Category: Lungs & Nerves

Answer: The lungs are filled with receptors and can be thought of as a sensory organ, communicating information to the brain via this nerve.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the vagus nerve?

In good breath,

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

P.S. they’re gonna have to put down another unicorn

Breathing for Diabetes:

If you love learning about breathing, or just want to live an overall healthier life, I think you’ll really enjoy this class (diabetes or not).

 
 

* 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.

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.