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 43 sec
I hope the next 26’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. Carve a Canyon: How to Produce Meaningful Changes with Breathing
“Rather, I think the power of breathwork to change the function of the nervous system can be compared to the way water cuts a canyon through rock. It’s the constant stimulus, the constant pressure, that produces huge changes, so that what appears to be a very gentle force produces very large results.”
- Andrew Weil, MD, Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing
This analogy is why I appreciate gentle and easy breathing exercises.
Of course, intense sessions can provide rapid transformations.
But one strong thunderstorm rarely carves a lasting canyon.
It’s the gentle, constant force of simple techniques, applied over years & years, that often produces the most meaningful change.
2. There’s Something in the Air (this is truly an incredible study)
In The Mindful Body, Ellen Langer, Ph.D., describes an incredible study. Participants were led into an empty room. Beforehand, one of three things had happened:
Meditators had meditated for 45 minutes and then left.
People had watched a stressful video for 45 minutes, then left.
Or the room was just empty for 45 minutes.
Participants entering after the meditators or stressful video watchers found the room more appealing and enlivening <—that’s pretty neat.
But wildly, only the group entering after the meditators improved their reaction time in a mindfulness test.
As Dr. Langer summarized, “These mysterious results suggest that somehow our mindfulness leaves a residue in the air and as such may affect the mindfulness of others.” 🤯
3. What Sets Breath & Mindfulness Apart: They Empower You
Breathing and mindfulness for people (with diabetes) are different than most approaches.
Instead of focusing solely on blood sugar control and doing everything “perfect,” these practices empower you to reduce stress, improve mental and emotional health, and cultivate resilience.
The goal isn't perfect numbers; it's peace of mind and lifelong agency.
4. Experience Gratitude Right Now
I shared this breath last year, but we can never do it too much 😊
Take a few conscious breaths and think to yourself: “This is great! I have an abundance of the most valuable resource known to our species, and I don't even have to work that hard to get it.”
1 Quote
“We die with each out-breath, only to be breathed back to life with the next in-breath.””
1 Answer
Category: Cognitive Function
Answer: Slow breathing (and mindful breathing) both improve this, allowing us to better resist distractions.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is inhibition or impulse control?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. My two rules are:
iCalm for Focused Relaxation
I know I’m a broken record, but I can’t recommend iCalm enough. I take 1/2 shot before my coffee and absolutely love it. Give it a try!
Amazon Associate Disclosure
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* 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.