Coming Alive

One Minute Stress Relief, Taste the Soup, and Positive Feelings


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4 Thoughts



1. Wim Hof’s 1-Minute Stress Relief (no hyperventilation needed)

What I do for stress is one minute of humming and breathing. This always works for me. It taps into your parasympathetic nervous system—where the peace is inside—and calms down your hectic sympathetic nervous system.

- Wim Hof, The Wim Hof Method

It’s not all big breathing for Wim. He says to deal with stress, we can simply set a timer for one minute, breathe in deeply, and hum in any way we’d like during the exhalation. Repeat until the timer goes off. Easy and highly effective 👏

2. Moving from Self-Explanation to Self-Expression

In learning, self-explanation is a powerful tool. Explaining a topic in your own words makes you think deeply and discover what you really understand about it.

In breathing, self-expression is paramount. It’s less about words, and more about expressing concepts through you, in your unique way, to feel beyond the words.

So here’s to less explanation, and more expression, this week 🙏

3. Taste the Soup: Breathing as a Can-Opener for the Life Force

So how do you access the Life Force? You need tools. Imagine a can of soup. If you want to know what the soup tastes like, reading the side of the can won't help; you need to actually taste it. Unless you have the hand strength of a superhero, this is impossible without a can opener.

- Barry Michels and Phil Stutz, Coming Alive

Breathing exercises are like can openers for the life force all around us.

It’s fun to read the ingredients, but tasting the soup is even better 😊 🍲

4. The Most Valuable Resource to Our Species (plus a gratitude breathing meditation)

Oxygen, in fact, is the most valuable resource to our species. … Consider the last time you thought to yourself while taking a breath, ‘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.’”*

- Drs Jason Selk and Ellen Reed, Relentless Solution Focus

Try using that phrase next time you start a breathing practice, or anytime you need a break from all the negative mental chatter: “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

The breath is also our life force. No organ in the body can function without the supply of oxygen we get from the cycle of breathing in and breathing out.
— Bhante Henepola Gunarantana
 

1 Answer

Category: Positive Feelings

Answer: Positive feelings (such as awe & gratitude) occur more frequently and easily when this is higher, providing a physiological reason why slow breathing helps us have more positive emotions.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is respiratory sinus arrhythmia?


In good breath,

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

P.S. I have a headache

Breathing for Diabetes Online Course ($99):

If you love learning about breathing, want to live a healthier life, or just want to support my work, 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.

 
 

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

 

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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. 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.

 
 

Free 1-on-1 Sessions, Less is More, and How to Life a Long & Healthy 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 😊



 

4 Thoughts



1. Less is More

When you breathe less, you almost always get more.

  • More blood flow.

  • More oxygen delivery.

  • More time sleeping deeply.

  • More time alive on this planet.

2. Breathing Turns Insight into Action

What are tools? Tools are practices, simple techniques that bridge the gap between insight and action. Using them over time enables you to fulfill your potential.”*

- Barry Michels and Phil Stutz, Coming Alive

I think breathing exercises fit this definition perfectly.

They’re simple techniques that convert insights (like those in Thought #1) into actions (like taking a few minutes to breathe light & slow each day).

And, I hope you’re discovering like I am that using them over time enables us to fulfill our highest potential.

3. The Breath Is Always Now

The breath is a constant reminder of what is going on in this very moment. It is not a time to think about the past or what you will be doing later. The breath is always now.”*

- Lodro Rinzler, Walk Like a Buddha

And this is why breathing is perhaps the best tool we have. When you’re focused on the breath, there’s no time to worry about the past or future.

The breath is always now.

4. Ancient Wisdom: Breathing Exercises Bring a Long & Healthy Life

In The Primordial Breath, which is part of the ancient Taoist Canon, there is an excellent line about breathing exercises & a long life:

At best, it brings immortality, and at the very least, it profits toward a long life.”**

Sounds good to me 🙏

***

P.S. Unfortunately, “immortality” shouldn’t be taken literally...dang it! In the preface, the translator says: “Due to the distance in time and culture many words, as translated, do not necessarily mean what they appear at first glance to mean…Most texts under ‘immortality’ understand a long and healthy life.

** This quote was referring to one specific breathing exercise called the “Embryonic Breath.” But, given their use of many breathing exercises for longevity, I think my thought matches their sentiment.

EXTRA: Free 1-on-1 Sessions on Anything

I am going to start offering free one-hour 1-on-1 sessions between July 11th - September 30th. These can be about anything:

  • A general discussion

  • You can bring specific questions & I’ll do my best to answer

  • I can lead you through a gentle slow breathing practice

  • Or some mix of all of these

You can sign up here.

Also, I’m using the scheduling service my wife used for her online yoga, so if you see “Black Sand Yoga” anywhere, that’s why : )

I look forward to meeting some of you!



1 QUOTE

In fact, every relaxation, calming or meditation technique relies on breathing, which may be the lowest common denominator in all the approaches to calming the body and mind.
— Christophe André
 

1 ANSWER

Category: Lungs

Answer: Normal human lungs weigh about this much, and approximately 40-50% of that weight comes from blood.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is 1 kg (or 2.2 lbs)?


In good breath,

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

P.S. someone told me to “just be myself”

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.