slow breathing

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Breath & Anxiety, One Person, and How to Ease Your Troubles

,

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 31 sec

I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Breathing Helps with Anxiety: a Meta-Analysis

“Anxious individuals who are unable to withstand the anxiety that accompanies the possibility of something bad happening in the future may experience respiratory interventions as a means by which to control their physiology. This may generalize to a greater sense of anxiety control and self-efficacy in managing symptoms.”

- Leyro et al. (2021)

This meta-analysis found that breathing significantly improves anxiety, both immediately and over the long term, providing effects similar to the gold-standard treatment of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Check out the paper here or sign up for the Breath Learning Center to get my review and takeaways 🙏

2. It Takes Just One Person (each of us)

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

- Eknath Easwaran, Take Your Time

Here’s a great reminder that when we use slow breathing, meditation, and other contemplative practices to slow down, we help those around us relax, too 🙏

3. The Effects of Focused Attention on the Body & Mind

“When one-pointed attention is strong, the nervous system kicks into a relaxed mode. Heart rate slows, metabolic rate declines, digestion picks up, and brain activity associated with worry and agitation goes into neutral. It was a major surprise for Western scientists to find that something as simple as concentration could have such profound effects on the body.”

- Mark Epstein, MD, Advice Not Given

👏👏👏

4. How to Ease Your Own Troubles

“Sharing another person’s feelings of distress need not be a downer. As Dr. Aaron Beck…has said, when you focus on someone else’s suffering, you forget your own troubles.”

— Daniel Goleman, Ph.D. & Richard Davidson, Ph.D.

1 Quote

“In addition, the mental component of breath is a sense of rhythmic expansion and contraction. And I think that connects us to every other living thing because all living organisms breathe. So that same rhythm is at the center of the heart of all life.””
— Andrew Weil, MD

1 Answer

Category: The Nose

Answer: The bone & cartilage separating your two nostrils (which sometimes gets displaced) is called this.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the nasal septum?

In good breath,

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

P.S. beyond meditation

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Smell the Flowers, a Test, and How to Pacify the Mind

,

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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 😊

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

Reading Time: 1 min 33 sec

I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. There, I Have Pacified Your Mind

This passage comes from Advice Not Given by Mark Epstein, MD. It’s a Zen story about Bodhidharma, a famous Buddhist monk, and Huike, who was intent on learning from him:

“Huike says to Bodhidharma, when finally given a chance to speak to him directly, ‘My mind is anxious. Please pacify it.’

To which Bodhidharma replies, ‘Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it.’

Huike says, ‘Although I've sought it, I cannot find it.’

Bodhidharma then says, ‘There, I have pacified your mind.’”

2. Wherever You Find Yourself

“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 is a wonderful reminder of the far-reaching utility of the breath. No matter what you’re currently interested in—the body, emotions, the mind, the self—the breath can be a metaphor or direct tool for studying it. As Rosenberg reminds us: “Wherever you find yourself, the breath is present.” 🙏

3. Smell the Flowers; Blow Out the Candles

“Just as emotions like worry and fear can trigger the body’s stress response, what we experience physically in the body can affect our emotions. Because of this, we can often begin to quiet our worries and calm the symptoms of anxiety simply by controlling one critical body function: breathing.”

– Jennifer Tucker, Breath as Prayer

Tucker provides a simple way to apply this: “Smell the flowers; blow out the candles.” Breathe in through your nose, into your abdomen, as if smelling flowers. Then, exhale slowly through pursed lips as if blowing out candles. Use it as needed today 🙏

4. A Test for You

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.”

– Richard Bach

1 Quote

“The breath is not only a source of support for the physical body; it is also a support for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.””
— Anyen Rinpoche &Allison Choying Zangmo

1 Answer

Category: Circulation

Answer: After being inhaled, it takes oxygen about this long to circulate throughout the body.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is around one minute?

In good breath,

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

P.S. 1890s guy

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Blue Mindfulness, Worry & Hurry, and a Natural Way to the Heart

,

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 49 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Blue Mindfulness

“What science is also revealing is that there’s an additional simple, watery means to mindfulness. Indeed, think of it as Blue Mindfulness.”

– Wallace J Nichols, Blue Mind

This refers to the idea that being around water (and nature in general) can invoke mindfulness. And even if you can’t make it into nature, it turns out that just listening to the sound of water can elicit some of its benefits.

So, this is your nudge to get out into nature or put on some ocean noises during your next breathing or meditation practice to get a little extra “blue mindfulness” 😊

2. A Water Breathing Walk

“Importantly, rain washes away the vestiges of pollution. Air is always cleaner during and immediately after a downpour…As rain tumbles through the atmosphere, each drop attracts hundreds of pollutant particles…Leaving the air bracingly fresh, scrubbed clean.”

- Annabel Streets, 52 Ways to Walk

I’ve shared this one before, but it felt right to re-share after the previous thought. Consider getting out and breathing some freshly cleaned air after the next rain—it’s an effortless “breathing exercise” 😊

3. Why Worry Goes With Hurry

“Worry goes with hurry because people in a hurry don’t have time to think clearly and make clear decisions, so they are always worried about results. … If you slow down enough to think clearly and act wisely, you have no need to worry because you know you are doing your best.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Original Goodness

One way to slow down enough to think clearly and act wisely? Slow, mindful breathing, which slows body and mind, thus reducing worry.

***

P.S. Of course, thinking clearly and acting wisely doesn’t mean we’ll make perfect decisions. It just means we won’t have to worry as much because we’ll know we’re doing our best with what we have 🙏

4. Some Advice to Follow (for the rest of our lives)

“Receive wisdom skillfully. Try it on for size and see how it fits. Incorporate what’s useful. Let go of the rest. And no matter how credible the source, test and tune in to yourself to discover what works for you.”

– Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

Ironically, that advice goes for this passage, too 😊

1 Quote

“You know that our breathing is the inhaling and exhaling of air. The organ which serves for this is the lungs which lie round the heart. Thus breathing is a natural way to the heart.””
— Nicephorus the Solitary

1 Answer

Category: Synchronization

Answer: This refers to the measurement of the interaction between lungs and the heart during sleep.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is cardiopulmonary coupling?

In good breath,

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

P.S. We didn’t think everyone would bring a bag!

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Positive Stress, Open Heart, and a Poor Host for Disease

,

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 29 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. Slow Breathing as a Positive Stressor

“Slow breathing is, in fact, a type of positive stress in and of itself, because you are making an autonomic function of your body intentional…sometimes, as you might notice, your nervous system might resist a little to the changes you are suggesting, because it is not used to being told what to do.”

– Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

I love this shift in perspective. It reminds us that when we teach or practice slow breathing, there might be resistance. That’s normal. But as Eddie also says, that tension “will melt away with time, practice, patience, and a gentle approach to slow breathing.” 👏

2. An Important Thing to Remember in Learning Breath Practices

“In learning breath practices the most important thing to remember is to relax. … Self-judgment adds another layer of stress. The less you judge yourself, the easier it will be to relax and experience the benefits … Try not to evaluate or judge what is happening. Just go with it.”

- Richard Brown, MD, and Patricia Gerbarg, MD

This reminds me of another gem from another MD—Herbert Benson—discussing the relaxation response: “The less you worry about the results, the better. Just let it happen.” 🙏

3. A Poor Host for Disease

“…this is one of the grandest secrets of health…Research evidence today suggests that emotional immunity to negative states of mind may well be linked to physical immunity, even resistance to disease. A person who is even minded, who doesn’t get shaken if people speak ill of him or excited when they praise her to the skies – such a person, I submit, is a poor host for disease.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Original Goodness

Of course, this doesn’t literally mean we’ll never get sick or that all our ailments will suddenly vanish if we’re even minded. But, I love this idea of training our minds to be steadier—through meditation and breathing—so we can at least become “a poor host for disease.” 🙏

4. An Open Heart to Have Open Eyes

“Ancient meditation texts describe compassion and mindfulness as two wings of a bird—emphasizing that we need an open heart to have open eyes.”

- Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., The Mindfulness Solution

1 Quote

“This is the deepest paradox in all of meditation: we want to get somewhere—we wouldn’t have taken up the practice if we didn’t—but the way to get there is just to be fully here.””
— Larry Rosenberg

1 Answer

Category: Contagious Breathing

Answer: One study found that our brains responds to the sound of this “breathing exercise” by preparing our facial muscles to join in.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is laughter?

In good breath,

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

P.S. me but at my breath memes

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Five Minutes, How to Heal the Mind, and 15 versus 300

,

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 29 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. The Entire Purpose of the Human Brain

“The entire purpose of the human brain is to produce movement. Movement is the only way we have of interacting with the world.”

– Daniel Wolpert, Ph.D., from The Joy of Movement

And the most fundamental movement the brain produces to interact with the world? The movement of air—our breathing 😊

2. Five Minutes for Meaningful Change

“The lack of significant association between effectiveness and session durations >= 5 min indicates that any session duration beyond 5 min can be effective…simply engaging in a breathing practice provides benefits, with sessions as short as 5 min yielding comparable benefits to longer sessions.”

– Bentley et al. (2023), Brain Sciences

This was the most surprising yet welcome result of this excellent paper: We only need five minutes of slow breathing practice to see significant improvements in stress and anxiety.

Of course, longer sessions can have different benefits. But if our goal is lowering stress (or we’re short on time), we can be pretty confident that even five minutes will make a meaningful difference in our day 🙏

3. It Isn’t Really a Wonder

“There are quite a few validated, scientific findings that suggest that controlled breathing has a wide range of beneficial effects…This makes a lot of sense…it isn’t really a wonder that the thing that keeps us alive also impacts how we experience life.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

“It isn’t really a wonder that the thing that keeps us alive also impacts how we experience life.” That’s so good, so obvious, and so logical, which is why it’s so easy to overlook 👏

4. A House a Home, a Cup a Drink

Like how the space inside a house makes it a home, or the emptiness within a cup makes it useful for drinking, it is the breath inside the body that makes it so remarkable for living.

1 Quote

“Your mind cannot heal without laughter.””
— Catherine Rippenger Fenwick

1 Answer

Category: The Best Breathing Exercise

Answer: Children do this about 300-400 times a day while adults only do it about 15 times a day.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is laugh?

In good breath,

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

P.S. three day recovery period

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Breathing Guidelines, Free Sci 411, and How to Make Tomorrow Good

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 31 sec

I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Practical Breathing Guidelines and a Free Science 411

“This knowledge can and should provide a sense of freedom for individual practitioners and program developers alike in tailoring programs to meet their needs for stress reduction effectiveness.”

– Bentley et al. (2023), Brain Sciences

That sentence came near the end of an incredible study led by HHPF that was published in Brain Sciences. It’s one of the most important breath studies published to date.

In fact, it’s so significant (especially if you’re a breath coach) that I have made my Science 411 of the paper free to everyone. Click here to read or listen to it. I hope you find it helpful 🙏

2. Can Only Add Value to Your Practice

Although not necessary, adding a deeper meaning to each breath—for example, cultivating awareness that air literally sustains all of life—can only add value to your practice.

3. Why Slow Breathing Naturally Cultivates Awareness

“The pace of our breathing influences many aspects of our lives including our bodily rhythms, emotions, and mood, and so a slow and deliberate breathing pattern can allow for a slower-paced and more aware lifestyle.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

This is one reason why, even without trying, slow breathing naturally cultivates mindfulness. It slows our bodies, minds, and emotions, allowing us to more easily bring awareness into our daily living 🙏

4. How to Make Tomorrow Good

“If you live today completely in love—hating no one, hurting no one, serving all—then tomorrow has to be good, whatever comes.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Original Goodness

After reading this, a new goal I have is to use my breathing and wisdom practices to live like this daily daily (even if only for a few minutes at a time—baby steps, lol). I hope you’ll join me 🙏

1 Quote

“When you blow a whistle or a bubble or a horn, it is followed by an echo or a pop or a song.

Listen.

For this is the ballad of your own breathing.””
— Rebecca Kai Dotlich

1 Answer

Category: Breathing and Movement

Answer: The synchronization of breathing with stepping that occurs in many vertebrates is referred to as this.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC)?

In good breath,

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

P.S. frankly that is none of my business

Nurture Your True Self

Everything you read in this newsletter comes from the Breath Learning Center. So, if you enjoy this newsletter, check it out. It’s cheap and full of life-changing wisdom and practices for discovering your true self. Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

My Ghostwriter, Cost-Free, and the Best Gift We Can Give Others

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 32 sec

I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Universally Accessible, Scalable, and Cost-Free

“Breathing practices, when used in isolation, have the advantage of being universally accessible, scalable, and cost-free. They are not limited by access to healthcare services nor burdened by side effects and put potential treatment tools in the hands of the individual.”

– Bentley et al. (2023), Brain Sciences

That’s so good. I have nothing to add but a few of these 👏👏👏

2. Breathing, Mental States, and Longevity

“All creatures consume vital energy. In the ancient Hindu tradition, it is said that we come into life with a given supply of this energy, enough to power a certain number of breathing cycles. …

If this theory is true, it may help to explain why these ancient sages claim a close connection between mental states and longevity. Our breathing rhythm, the measure of how fast our reserves of vital energy are being consumed, is regulated in part by our state of mind. Security, compassion, patience, forgiveness – all these are accompanied, if you observe closely, by a relatively slow breathing rhythm and heart rate. Positive states of mind like these conserve energy and lengthen the life span, leaving a reserve of resilience and resistance for facing challenges.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Original Goodness

3. Ghostwriter

Breathing is the ghostwriter of our lives, subtly influencing our mental states, our energy and outlook, and our overall sense of connection and belonging in this world.

4. Now as I Understand Things Properly

“A Zen monk said, ‘Before I began to practice, mountains were mountains, and rivers were rivers. During many years of practice, mountains stopped being mountains and rivers stopped being rivers. Now as I understand things properly, mountains are mountains, and rivers are rivers.’”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

1 Quote

“The only thing we have to bring to community is ourselves, so the contemplative process of recovering our true selves in solitude is never selfish. It is ultimately the best gift we can give to others.””
— Parker Palmer

1 Answer

Category: The Diaphragm

Answer: Several factors, including a small muscle fibre size and abundance of capillaries, make the diaphragm less susceptible to this, allowing it to work continuously.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is fatigue?

In good breath,

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

P.S. I had 33 open while writing this email

Nurture Your True Self

Everything you read in this newsletter comes from the Breath Learning Center. So, if you enjoy this newsletter, check it out. It’s cheap and full of life-changing wisdom and practices for discovering your true self. Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Movement, Heart and Lung Vacation, and My Teacher is Best

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 34 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. The Most Empirically Supported Way

“The most empirically supported way that contemplative practices confer their psychological and physiological benefits is by lowering threat arousal through shifting the autonomic nervous system to parasympathetic dominance via slowed and/or regulated breathing.”

- Crosswell et al. (2024), Psychological Review

​

Of course, contemplative practices go beyond breathing, drawing upon mind and body to uniquely benefit each person who practices.

But, this is a powerful scientific statement. It reminds us that because breath is both our spirit—the essence of our being—and our direct connection to the nervous system, it plays a key role (intentionally or unintentionally) in all contemplative practice 🙏

2. Give Your Heart and Lungs a Vacation by Practicing This

“In other words, patience is not only a mental virtue; it is an asset even for physical health. I’m sure you are aware of the way your heart races when you get impatient. Perhaps you have noticed, too, that your breathing becomes faster and more shallow. Doesn’t it seem reasonable that if you can strengthen your patience to such a degree that other people’s behavior never upsets you, your heart, lungs, and nervous system will be on vacation?”

– Eknath Easwaran, Original Goodness

That does seem reasonable : ) Here’s to cultivating a little more patience so that we may give our hearts, lungs, and nervous systems a vacation every day 🙏

3. Movement

Physical activity moves your body.

A breath practice moves your spirit.

And reading timeless wisdom moves your soul.

They all need movement to stay energized and robust.

4. My Teacher is the Best

“One Zen student said, ‘My teacher is the best. He can go days without eating.’

The second said, ‘My teacher has so much self-control, he can go days without sleeping.’

The third said, ‘My teacher is so wise that he eats when he’s hungry and sleeps when he’s tired.’”

1 Quote

“When we begin to take up breathing practices, we temporarily make an involuntary, life-sustaining function voluntary, and in that can make dramatic shifts to our state of mind and the state of our nervous system.””
— Eddie Stern

1 Answer

Category: The Diaphragm

Answer: To facilitate communication of vital information, the diaphragm has three major ones of these.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are three major openings?

In good breath,

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

P.S. worrying works!

Nurture Your True Self

“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.”

– Miles Davis

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be. Start Today.

P.S. Along with the pay-what-you-can option, I also just added a 2-day pass to make it more accessible 🙏

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.

 
,

Soul Physiology, Laughter Heals, and a Great Zen Master

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 41 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. Nurturing Our Body and Soul’s Physiology

1. The way we nurture our body’s physiology is through breathing.

2. The way we nurture our soul’s physiology is through love.

Thus, we can perform a breath practice followed by loving-kindness meditation as a simple yet deeply restoring way to start each day 🙏

2. A Technical (yet elegant) Reminder of the Power of the Breath

“The parasympathetic and sympathetic systems are tonically active, with efferent pathways extending from the brainstem and hypothalamus to all major peripheral organs and afferent nerves from the lungs, airways, and heart, projecting to the brainstem and to the hypothalamus and higher order neural regions. Because of this anatomical connectivity, changes in breathing rate are quickly signaled to the brain, allowing the brain to interpret that the body is in a relaxed, calm state, and safe state.”

- Crosswell et al. 2024

Be sure to take advantage of this “anatomical connectivity” this week 🙏

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Science 411 on this one too.

3. There is No Hedonic Adaptation to This

“You might have thought that when we more often experience awe in the wonders of life, those wonders lose their power. This is known as the law of hedonic adaptation, that certain pleasures…diminish with their increased occurrence. Not so with awe. The more we practice awe, the richer it gets.”

– Dacher Keltner, Awe: The New Science of…

“The more we practice awe, the richer it gets.” This excellent idea explains why daily practices like breathing, meditation, time in nature, or reading timeless wisdom never lose their potency.

Each of these brings awe, connecting us closer to our true selves, and there is no hedonic adaptation to that 🙏

4. A Great Zen Master Was Once Asked

“A great Zen master renowned for his wisdom was once asked, ‘What’s the most remarkable thing you’ve learned in all of your years of meditation and study?’ He answered, ‘The most remarkable thing is that we’re all going to die but we live each day as though it weren’t so.’”

– Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., The Mindfulness Solution

1 Quote

“Wholehearted, ready laughter heals, encourages, relaxes anyone within hearing distance.””
— Eugenia Price

1 Answer

Category: Heart-Brain Connection

Answer: The heart might be able to communicate with the brain through the vagus nerve via the firing of these, sometimes referred to as “the little brain of the heart.”

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are intrinsic cardiac neurons?

In good breath,

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

P.S. Alright Sam has command of the board

Discover Your True Self

“Paradoxically, it takes time to become what we already are.”

– Rick Hanson, PhD

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be. Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

See the World, Deep Rest, and a Simple Step for Profound Effects

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 48 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. A Lens Through Which We See the World

“How do emotions guide our actions?

The first is this: emotions transform how we perceive the world. … Each emotion is a lens through which we see the world.”

– Dacher Keltner, Awe: The New Science of…

“Each emotion is a lens through which we see the world.” This unintentionally yet beautifully explains the power of breathing. By giving us access to our emotions, breathing exercises can quite literally put a new lens on life, providing more clarity, focus, and joy.

Be sure to take advantage of this power this week 🙏

2. How All Contemplative Practices Work (deep rest)

“In conclusion, contemplative practices are a powerful tool for enhancing health. Routinely practicing a contemplative technique may reduce harmful stress-related threat arousal, promote cellular-level healing and restoration, and ultimately promote positive mental and physical health.”

- Deep Rest: An Integrative Model of How Contemplative Practices Combat Stress…

This paper could be the “science mascot” of my life 😂

It’s unique because it doesn’t favor one approach; instead, it offers a unifying framework—called deep rest—explaining the benefits of all contemplative practices (but slow breathing does play a crucial role).

If you feel so inspired, go give it a read. Or, read my 2 min 49 sec review (or listen to the podcast version) for as little as $5.

3. A Tiny Thought on Breathing Methods

Every method works when used correctly, but no method works for everybody.

4. Two Ideas to Contemplate on Breathing & Connection

“The heaven, the earth and I share one breath, but each manages it individually.” – Lao-Tzu

“It is quite a striking example of evolutionary balance and beauty that the trees around us that give off oxygen and the trees in our lungs that absorb it share a similar structure.” - Patrick McKeown

1 Quote

“The pace you set first thing in the morning is likely to stay with you through the day. If you get up early and set a calm, unhurried pace, it is much easier to resist getting speeded up later on as the pressures of the day close in on you. This simple step has profound effects.””
— Eknath Easwaran

1 Answer

Category: Emotions

Answer: Across different people, these show similar patterns for different emotions and may be one way to distinguish states of joy, anger, fear, and sadness.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are breathing patterns?

In good breath,

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

P.S. how to send emails

Nurture Your True Self

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Start Today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Connection, a Wordless Mantra, and 4 Thoughts on Nose Breathing

,

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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 😊

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Reading Time: 1 min 48 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. A Wordless Mantra

A wordless mantra you can always come back to is your breath.

2. We Are All Connected, not Just Figuratively but Literally

“The air I inhale enters my body and becomes part of me.

The air that I exhale moves into someone else and becomes part of her.

Just by looking at how the air moves, we realize we are all connected to one another, not just figuratively but also literally.”

- Haemin Sunim, The Things You Can See Only…

I’ve shared this before, but it’s always worth revisiting timeless wisdom like this 🙏

3. You Can’t Live There: A Mountain Story to Consider

“I was once talking with the teacher Steve Armstrong, who had trained as a monk in Asia. I asked him if he could tell me about nibbana. He looked at me intently and then got a faraway look and said something I’ve thought about many times since: ‘It’s as if you live in a deep valley surrounded by mountains. Then one day you’re standing on top of the highest peak. The perspective is amazing. Still, you can’t live there. And so you come back down to the valley. But what you’ve seen changes you forever.’”

- Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Neurodharma

Of course, not many of us will reach nibbana (I even had to look it up to make sure it was the same as “nirvana” 😂😂).

But, this story is an excellent reminder that we can’t prolong peak experiences forever, whether they’re from meditation, surfing, running, yoga, etc. “You can’t live there…But what you’ve seen changes you forever.”

4. Four Tiny Thoughts on Nasal Breathing

Slow, nasal breathing is like driving a Tesla; fast, mouth breathing is like driving a Hummer.

Most of the time: the nose is part of the respiratory system; the mouth is part of the digestive system.

Nasal breathing doesn’t make you feel better: It makes you feel how you’re supposed to feel.

“There’s the saying that sometimes when we go looking all over the world for answers to our life questions, that the answers were there, right under our nose, the whole time. In the case of breathing, it’s literally true.” - Eddie Stern

1 Quote

“Laughter is the language of the young at heart and the antidote to what ails us. No drugstore prescription is required; laughter is available to anyone at any time.””
— Barbara Johnson

1 Answer

Category: Brain Function

Answer: Slow breathing has consistently been found to improve this functioning of the brain, allows us to better plan, monitor, and execute our goals.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is executive functioning?

In good breath,

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

P.S. me haggling:

Nurture Yourself: Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Better Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Breathing Heals, Memory, and 4 Thoughts on Gratitude and Love

,

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 😊

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Reading Time: 1 min 31 sec

I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. One Way Breathing Heals (…is that it doesn’t)

“In sum, an incredible amount of cellular energy is spent navigating states of moderate threat arousal, energy that could otherwise be used for other health-promoting biological processes such as cellular restoration.”

- Crosswell et al. (2024)

Here’s one way slow breathing heals. By reducing stress, it allows energy that would be used on stress processes to be redirected toward healing processes.

Thus, we might say: Slow breathing isn’t healing; it allows healing.

2. A Heuristic for How Slow Breathing Helps Memory

“The degree of slowness is directly proportional to the intensity of memory; the degree of speed is directly proportional to the intensity of forgetting.”

– Milan Kundera

Although Kundera isn’t discussing breathing, that’s a perfect heuristic for understanding how slow breathing helps cognitive function: Slowing down intensifies memory; speeding up intensifies forgetting.

3. Only You Know the True Scientific Results

“On the one hand, researchers mainly take a third-person approach—they study the states of the brain using various techniques—and a second-person approach—they use a questionnaire about what participants in the experiment have experienced. Yet only the meditator themselves is in a position to offer true interpretations of the scientific data from their first-person perspective.”

- Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk and scientist

Although understanding the science is paramount (and just plain fun), this is an excellent reminder that only you can interpret what it means for you through your first-person experience 🙏

4. Four Tiny Thoughts on Breath, Gratitude, and Love

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

A daily breathing practice is self-love, preparing your heart and mind to love others.

Slow breathing is air appreciation.

“It is enough to be grateful for the next breath.” - Brother David

1 Quote

“We can take a wonderful vacation in spirit, even though we are obliged to stay at home, if we will only drop our burdens from our minds for a while.””
— Laura Ingalls Wilder

1 Answer

Category: Emotions

Answer: Experiencing this emotion is associated with “elevated vagal tone, reduced sympathetic arousal, increased oxytocin release, and reduced inflammation—all processes known to benefit mental and physical health.”

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is awe?

In good breath,

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

P.S. productivity hack

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Better Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Living Better, Loving-Kindness, and 4 Reminders to Laugh

,

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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 😊

Enjoy These Posts?

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Reading Time: 1 min 37 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. Why Slow Breathing Helps Us Live Better

Slow breathing is like creating healthy soil in your body.

With it, latent seeds, which are common to every human—those of kindness, goodwill, forgiveness, and confidence—begin growing.

And new seeds of wisdom you encounter are met with fertile ground, allowing them to flourish in your daily living.

2. Switching Channels in Your Mind

“You train your mind to do this by switching your attention just as you change the channel on your TV set. There are many injurious channels in the mind, negative channels like anger, greed, arrogance, fear, and malice. But for every negative emotion there is a positive emotion, and you can learn to change channels.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Take Your Time​

Of course, negative emotions are okay and part of being human. But when we do want to change channels, breathing can be helpful. By slowing our breath, we can slow our minds, which can help us change emotional channels more effectively 🙏

3. The Power of Loving-Kindness Meditation

“The research of Barbara Fredrickson, for example, has shown that practicing Loving-Kindness meditation improves heart rate variability, baroreceptor sensitivity, and vagal tone, leading to an ‘upward spiral’ of positive emotions. Simply by having loving thoughts, directed at various people, you can improve your heart health. The positive thoughts release a cascade of electrical and chemical reactions in your nervous and endocrine system that are associated with healing and cellular repair.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

Controlling our breath is usually easier than controlling our minds. But when we do put aside time to deliberately have loving thoughts, the benefits for body and mind are profound ❤️🙏

4. Four Reminders to Laugh (it’s the most healing breathing exercise)

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” ― Mark Twain

“I don't trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.” ― Maya Angelou

“I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.” ― Audrey Hepburn

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

1 Quote

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

1 Answer

Category: Cell Energy

Answer: Breathing supplies oxygen to the mitochondria, which produce this substance, creating energy that sustains life.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is adenosine triphosphate (ATP)?

In good breath,

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

P.S. tax day

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Better Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Science Talk, Stress, and 3 Exercises to Heal Any Ailment

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 49 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Science Talk for “Breath is Life”

“We must continuously breathe precisely to bring oxygen to mitochondria to fuel oxidative phosphorylation, to charge our mitochondria, which sustain cellular life, brain activity, and consciousness.”

- Crosswell et al. (2024), Psychological Review

That’s a scientific way of saying: Breath is life.

So, let’s use this passage as inspiration to occasionally take a mindful breath, remembering that each one sustains “cellular life, brain activity, and consciousness.”

2. Stress, Inflammation, and a Valuable Tool for Coaches

“Stress-reduction techniques may serve as cost-effective interventions for preventing and treating metabolic disease.”

– Jurgens et al. (2023), Brain, Behavior, & Immunity​

​

The results of this paper suggest that stress-lowering exercises (like slow breathing) may reduce inflammation and, consequently, improve metabolic function. 👏

***

P.S. If you’re a coach, implementing these findings in your practice is straightforward; all you need is a Google Form. Join the Breath Learning Center: Sign Up -> Click Science 411s -> Click the top one and you’ll see exactly how (plus a Google Form you can copy).

3. Take a Breath Pilgrimage

“With pilgrimage you literally walk a physical path, have a clear goal—your destination—and a means of reaching it: walking. The simplicity...may be the secret to finding inner-direction.”

- Dr. Guy Hayward

That sounds a lot like a breath practice. You breathe a specific way, have a clear goal, and a way of achieving it: your breath. “The simplicity may be the secret to finding inner-direction.”

The best part? You don’t even have to leave your house 😊

4. Three Breathing Exercises that Will Heal Any Ailment

There are three breathing exercises that will heal any ailment:

  • The first one is to laugh.

  • The second one is to laugh.

  • The third one is to laugh.

(Inspired by last week’s quote from Mr. Rogers.)

1 Quote

“Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath.””
— Natalie Goldberg

(Thanks to Insight Timer for sharing this one.)

1 Answer

Category: Animals Breathing

Answer: According to one study, at least 65 different species of animals perform their own version of this breathing exercise, which you might have thought was uniquely human.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is laugh?

In good breath,

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

P.S. all nervous…

Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Better Life

Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.

Get started today.

Four Seminars by Eddie Stern and Me

If you subscribe to The Breathing App for Diabetes before April 11th, you’ll be automatically enrolled in a four-part webinar series from me and Eddie Stern.

  • April 11 @ 6 p.m. EST: New Findings in Breathing Research Relevant to Diabetes

  • April 13 @ 2 p.m. EST: Exercise Light Stretches to Increase Your Lung Capacity

  • April 18 @ 6 p.m. EST: Advanced Practices in Breathing (Suitable for All Levels)

  • April 20 @ 2 p.m. EST: Deep Dive into Mindfulness and Metacognition

Recordings will be made available for anyone who can’t join live. And even if you don’t have diabetes, you will find these seminars helpful and engaging 🙏

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.

 
,

4 Tiny Thoughts, 3 Ways to Success, and What the Buddha Lost

,

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?

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Reading Time: 1 min 49 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. One Reason Your Breathing Changes when You Observe It

“You might notice that as soon as you begin to observe your breath, it changes a little. Perhaps it gets a little longer, or fuller. That’s ok. It’s the nature of the observer and the observed, that whatever you observe responds to you, changes, or lets you know what it needs.”

– Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

I’ve never been able to “observe my breath without changing it.” This is one of the best passages I’ve found on why that happens 🙏

2. Don’t Fake a Smile, Activate One

“I don’t like to think of this exercise as faking or forcing a smile, but rather as activating a smile. When we activate a smile, a neurological reaction takes place that lifts our mood and makes everything seem less foreboding.”

– Annabel Streets, 52 Ways to Walk

I love this reframing of ‘activating’ over ‘faking,’ which we can use across domains:

  • Activate a smile; don’t fake it.

  • Activate some slow breathing; don’t fake it.

  • Activate gratitude; don’t fake it.

It reminds us that these are natural states, literally hardwired into our bodies and minds for growth and restoration. We shouldn’t fake them; we should activate them.

3. The Buddha Gained ‘Nothing at All’ through Meditation

“Someone once asked the Buddha skeptically, ‘What have you gained through meditation?’

The Buddha replied, ‘Nothing at all.’

‘Then, Blessed One, what good is it?’

‘Let me tell you what I lost through meditation: sickness, anger, depression, insecurity, the burden of old age, the fear of death. That is the good of meditation…”

– Eknath Easwaran, The Dhammapada​

​

This is one of the biggest paradoxes of breathing and meditation practices. While we often focus on what we’ll get, the things we lose are usually most important. 🙏

4. Four Tiny Thoughts

1. Breathing exercises are like brain-canceling headphones.

2. By practicing mindfulness, you become a thought meteorologist.

3. Laughter is the only breathing exercise transcending age and cultural boundaries, present everywhere, appreciated by everyone.

4. It may sound paradoxical, but the point of a breathing practice is to no longer need a breathing practice.

1 Quote

“There are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is to be kind.
The second way is to be kind.
The third way is to be kind.””
— Fred Rogers

1 Answer

Category: Nasal Breathing and Speech

Answer: This muscular organ helps maintain nasal breathing while also being critical to speech.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the tongue?

In good breath,

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

P.S. me neither

Breath Practices and Wisdom Meditations for a Better Life

Timeless Wisdom and Modern Science to Help You Align What You Think, Say, and Do with the Person You Want to Become.

Get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

How Breathing Heals, Life’s Storms, and the Power of Love

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 38 sec

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


4 THOUGHTS

1. Openings and Limitations

“Any framework, method, or label you impose on yourself is just as likely to be a limitation as an opening.”

– Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

Here’s an excellent idea to contemplate: Are you using any methods (with breathing or elsewhere) that may actually be serving as a limitation? Or, are there any areas of your life where adopting a new method might serve as an opening?

2. Weathering Life’s Storms Gracefully

“We can learn to say to life, ‘It doesn’t matter what you bring today. If you bring something pleasant, I will flourish; if you bring something unpleasant, I will still flourish.’…We can face whatever comes to us calmly and courageously, knowing we have the flexibility to weather any storm gracefully. This is living in freedom, the ultimate goal of training the mind.

– Eknath Easwaran, Conquest of Mind

And I’d say it’s also the ultimate goal of training the breath. By using our breath to increase the adaptability of our nervous system and mind, we learn to weather all of life’s storms more gracefully 🙏

3. How Slow, Conscious Breathing Heals

“What conscious breathing can do is…help shift our nervous system into what is called the healing response…Conscious breathing can enhance levels of sensitivity in our nervous system to handle and manage stress, and to support the restoration of balance. Conscious breathing can create enduring states of focus, presence, and mindful observation, so that life’s challenging situations do not completely highjack us, allowing a greater degree of control. While we cannot control life, we can learn to shape our response to it; conscious breathing is a valuable tool to support that.”

– Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing​

That sums it up nicely (and goes perfectly with Thought #2 above) 👏

4. A Good Laugh

As I like to say, laughter is the most therapeutic breathing exercise. Scroll through these breathing memes (sound on) to get your daily dose of healing 😊

1 Quote

“Laughter without love is cold and cruel. Laughter with love is joy and happiness.

Labour without love is drudgery. Labour with love is bliss.

Listening without love is empty sound. With love, it’s understanding.””
— Gladys McGarey, MD (103 years old)

1 Answer

Category: Spontaneous Breath Exercise

Answer: Although adults, babies, and animals do this spontaneously, we still don’t know precisely why we do it.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is yawn?

In good breath,

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

P.S. same tattoo, only bigger

How to Train (and change) Your Mind

Breathing exercises train your mind.

Wisdom meditations change your mind.

Used together, they help you discover who you are and become the person you want to be.

Get started today.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

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

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

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​

​

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.)

…

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.

 
,

Aging, Wonderful Outcomes, and the Secret of an Unhurried 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 😊

Enjoy These Posts?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 48 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. The Secret of an Unhurried Mind

Since achieving a calmer mind and living more in the moment are almost universal outcomes of breathing and meditation, here’s a beautiful passage to contemplate as more motivation to practice:

“But gradually I understood that living completely in the present is the secret of an unhurried mind. When the mind is not rushing about in a hurry, it is calm, alert, and ready for anything. And a calm mind sees deeply, which opens the door to tremendous discoveries: rich relationships, excellence in work, a quiet sense of joy. It was a revelation. There was a door to the discovery of peace and meaning in every moment! All I needed to open it was a quiet mind.”

– Eknath Easwaran, Take Your Time

2. How Mindfulness Helps with Aging: An Alternative to Eternal Youth

“An alternative to seeking eternal youth was suggested by the famous baseball pitcher Satchel Paige: ‘Age isn’t a problem. It’s a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.’ Mindfulness practice helps us not mind so much.”

– Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., The Mindfulness Solution

​

Dr. Siegel says mindfulness helps us “not mind so much” by teaching us that everything changes, all we have is the present moment, our thoughts aren’t reality, and we’re all connected.

So, here’s to living more mindfully to (somewhat paradoxically) not mind the aging process 🙏

3. Bound to Have Wonderful Outcomes

“As I’m fond of saying, small tweaks lead to big changes, and a little attention goes a long way. A few minutes of slow breathing is a small tweak—perhaps just one percent of our day—and that little bit of attention to the very thing that sustains our life is bound to have wonderful outcomes.” ​

– Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

​

​Here’s an excellent reminder to occasionally slow down and pay attention to the very thing that sustains life—your breath. As Eddie says, it’s “bound to have wonderful outcomes.”

4. How to Infuse with Life Force

“On a very basic level, when we're consciously aware of the in-breath and the out-breath we infuse ourselves with that life force and anchor ourselves in our own deep center space.”

- George Mumford, The Mindful Athlete

So. Good.

Here’s to infusing with our life force a little more this week 👏

1 Quote

“The body is solid material wrapped around the breath.””
— Ida Rolf

P.S. Thanks to Nerissa for sharing. It’s one of my new favorite quotes.

1 Answer

Category: Lung Alveoli

Answer: Surfactant reduces this within lung alveoli, which prevents them (especially smaller alveoli) from collapsing during exhalation.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is surface tension?

In good breath,

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

P.S. They’re my new hero, too

Breath Learning Center

The goal of the breath learning center is to help you use breathing and mindfulness to become a better person. To experience more joy, love, laughter, and wholeness.

If that sounds good to you, you can learn more here.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

Why We Suffer, Power of Humming, and a Celebration of Life

,

Listen Instead of Reading

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

Enjoy These Posts?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 49 sec

I hope the next 27’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. Why We Suffer from Pain

In The Mindfulness Solution, Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., presents a conceptual equation for suffering:

Suffering = Pain x Resistance

This symbolic relationship means, for any given amount of pain:

  • If our resistance to it is zero, we won’t suffer.

  • If our resistance to it is high, we’ll suffer a lot.

Of course, if you’re a normal human like me, it’s impossible to have zero resistance. But this is an excellent reminder that much of our suffering comes from resisting the pain, not the pain itself.

2. Give Your Practice an Energetic Charge

Here is Rick Rubin discussing having an intention for art:

“It is not an exercise of thought, a goal to be set, or a means of commodification. It is a truth that lives inside you. Through your living it, that truth becomes embedded in the work. If the work doesn’t represent who you are and what you’re living, how can it hold an energetic charge?”

Similarly, this is why having an overarching intention for your contemplative practice(s) is so powerful. It allows your practice to “represent who you are and what you’re living,” giving it an enormous energetic charge in your life 🙏

3. The Power of Humming

“Humming induces brainwave entrainment, and since the sound of a hum is long and sustained, it has calming effect on the brain. It also helps us to naturally extend our exhalation without making much of an effort to do so…Humming is also a spontaneous sound of joy, like after we’ve eaten a delicious tasting food…We hum in agreement with people, or things we read, and children naturally hum when they are happy. Humming is both good for you and we vocalize a hum when we experience good things.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

That’s an excellent reminder to hum a little more this week 🙏

4. Why I Love Mindful Slow Breathing So Much

Here’s why I think adding mindfulness to slow breathing (‘mindful slow breathing’) is one of the best practices:

Combined, they give you two of the most validated mind-body exercises in one simple practice. Give it a try and see how you feel 🙏

1 Quote

“The greatest of all miracles is to be alive, and when you breathe in, you touch that miracle. Therefore, your breathing can be a celebration of life.””
— Thich Nhat Hanh

1 Answer

Category: Blood Pressure

Answer: The systolic pressure of this system is about 18-25 mmHg, about 1/5th or less of the body’s blood pressure.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the pulmonary circulation?

In good breath,

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

P.S. welcome to breathing competition

Breath Learning Center

The Breath Learning Center offers a unique approach to health, wholeness, and personal flourishing through the breath. Immerse yourself in timeless wisdom, modern science, and breath-focused practices to improve your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Learn more here.

The Breathing App for Diabetes

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

Learn more here.

Amazon Associate Disclosure

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

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

 
,

How to Get True Health, Extended-Release Calm, and a New Personality

,

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?

Donate to support my research.

Reading Time: 1 min 44 sec

I hope the next 26’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. An Extended-Release Calm Pill

Practicing slow breathing upon waking is like taking an extended-release calm pill each morning.

It will work throughout the day to help you be more resilient to stressors, experience more joy, and have more overall fulfillment 🙏

2. Creating Wholeness with Attention to Overlooked Moments

“Breath awareness is one method that can help you develop full attention to otherwise easily overlooked moments of daily life. Using this practice throughout the day transforms many small and simple activities into meaningful chances to develop a mind that is focused, calm, and alert.”

– Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening

Here’s a great reminder that breath awareness can help us notice moments we usually overlook. Although these moments may not start out as much, I’ve learned that when you bring your full attention to them, it often creates wholeness 🙏

3. It’s Important to Practice When You’re Not Stressed

“It's important to have tools when it comes to dealing with stressful situations. If we haven’t practiced them, absorbed them, and made them work for us outside of a crisis situation, they might be harder to draw on when we need them in real time. That’s why it’s important to to practice them at times of the day when you are not in a crisis-situation. That way when you need to manage a stressful situation, your nervous system will already be attuned to what it feels like to be safe.”

- Eddie Stern, Healing Through Breathing

This is such good advice: Practice when you’re not stressed so it works when you are. 👏👏👏

4. A New Personality?

A wonderful passage to contemplate on mindfulness:

“In my early days of practice I hoped that it would give me a whole new personality. I've discovered that instead mindfulness practice has actually helped me enjoy the one I have.”

- Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., The Mindfulness Solution

1 Quote

“Each of us came here to do something. And as I see it, true health has nothing to do with diagnosing a disease or prolonging life just for the sake of it; it’s about finding out who we are, paying attention to how we’re called to grow and change, and listening to what makes our heart sing.””
— Gladys McGarey, MD, 103 Years Old

1 Answer

Category: Frog Breathing

Answer: Outside of water, frogs use this breathing system, which is opposite of humans and involves gulping air and pushing it into the lungs.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is positive pressure breathing?

In good breath,

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

P.S. support group for procrastinators

P.P.S. Check out The Breathing App for Diabetes.

Coaching

I can currently work with one more person if you can meet on weekends. Just send an email to nick@thebreathingdiabetic.com, and we can discuss it further 🙏

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.