Reading Time: 1 min 45 sec
I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. Slowing Down Makes You Faster
“Emotional control rules your ability to get results under pressure. The foundation of emotional control is a calmer, clearer mind…If you can slow down, you can mitigate a bad mood and settle your feelings of stress and worry. Quieting your thoughts means you'll argue less, hold back snap decisions, tamp down a rising temper, and stay focused on the task in front of you for longer. Slowing down actually gets you where you want to be faster and better.”
– Dr. Dana Sinclair, Dialed In
And one of the best ways to slow down? Conscious, slow breathing, of course 😊
2. Two Great Quotes from Science Papers
1. “The respiratory-neural connection seems to have particularly strong effects on emotions: slow respiration protocols like resonance respiration exert a relaxing and calming effect, while faster respiration tends to induce anxiety states.” - Neuroscience Bulletin (2023)
2. “Parasympathetic dominance can occur through slowing and/or controlling breath…Most contemplative practices share the commonality of slowed breathing, either intentionally, or as a consequence of the calming practice.” - Psychological Review (2024)
3. One More Great Quote Worth Reading
“The growth in scientific interest into breathwork parallels its explosion in public visibility in the media and popularity across the general population: while it is hard to estimate precisely how many people regularly practice breathwork techniques, there are likely to be tens of millions of breathwork practitioners worldwide.”
👏👏👏
4. Finding the Beauty in Imperfection
“According to legend, a young man once sought out a master to teach him the Japanese tea ceremony. The master tested him by asking him to clean up a garden. The young man removed the weeds and raked the leaves until the grounds were pristine. As he reviewed his flawless work, he decided something was missing. He walked over to a cherry tree and shook it so that some flower petals fell to the ground. By finding the beauty in imperfection, he showed he was ready to become a master.”
– Adam Grant, Hidden Potential
1 Quote
“By ‘expecting nothing’ you are not ‘giving up.’ Far from it! You are making a decision to focus on what needs to be done rather than on outcomes.””
1 GOOD BOOK
Instructions for Spiritual Living by Paul Brunton
I was surprised how much I liked this book. Despite its rather terrible name, Brunton avoids cookie-cutter advice and instead offers genuine wisdom and practical advice on using contemplative practices to lead a better life.
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
Enjoy these posts? Donate to say thanks!
P.S. seriously, well done
The Breathing App for Diabetes
This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!
Amazon Associate Disclosure
I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )
* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.