boost creativity

How Breathing Helps You Get and Stay Frustrated (and why it’s a good thing)

 
 

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4 Thoughts


1. Why You Need to be Frustrated, and How Breathing Can Help

Long-haul creativity, Robinson believes, requires a low-level, near-constant sense of frustration. … It’s a constant, itchy dissatisfaction, a deep sense of what-if, and can-I-make-it-better, and the like.

- Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible

A consistent breathing practice will improve your mental clarity and overall health. But it will also frustrate the hell out of you.

It’s so simple; why isn’t this taught everywhere? Wait, it’s free, and it literally helps everything?

Then, of course, your improved mental clarity will seep into everything you do, and you will get more frustrated with the world, in general. (Not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything 😂)

But now we see it’s a good thing. We need a little frustration, a slight sense of dissatisfaction, a knowing that things could be better. It helps us sustain the creativity needed to deliver what the world needs.

And a regular breathing practice is the easiest way to get that itchy dissatisfaction.

So, please, go get a little more frustrated, and a little more creative, today : )

***

P.S. Kotler shares nine different ways for achieving long-haul creativity in the book. This was #5, but its unexpected nature made it stand out the most.

2. A Few Stand-Out Passages on the Importance of the Ancient Nose

As a general note, the teachings on wind energy training and Yantra yoga emphasize breathing through the nostrils during the entire practice session. Unless we are given specific, personal instruction by a master on how and when to breathe through the mouth, we should always breathe through the nose.

- The Tibetan Yoga of Breath

The nose is the heavenly door (while) the mouth is the earthly window. Therefore, inhale through your nose and use your mouth to exhale. Never do otherwise for breath would be in danger and illness would set in.

- The Primordial Breath, Volume I

"Ancient Egyptian cultures also recognized the importance of the breath, the evidence of which we see today in the many ancient statues that had their noses broken off but otherwise were left untouched. This defacement was no accident, but a deliberate act by conquering groups to take the life, in this case the breath of life, away from these icons."

- Michael J. Stephen, MD, Breath Taking

3. Walking After a Meal: The Simplest Habit for Stable Blood Sugar

The most important takeaway is simple: Whenever possible, move your body after eating. Doing this helps mobilize post-meal glucose to fuel physical activity and curb the spike you might experience if you were inactive.

- Levels, Walking after a meal: the simplest habit for stable blood sugar

The folks at Levels put out some of the best blogs; they’re well-written and packed with practical information.

This one was so good it almost made me want to switch my post-meal breathing session for a walk. Who knows, maybe I’ll become The Walking Diabetic : )

Enjoy!

***

Related: Diaphragmatic Breathing Reduces Postprandial Oxidative Stress

4. A Little Bit of Tape goes a Long Way

I guess it goes to show that a little bit of tape can go a long way.

- 411 Reader

When you tape your mouth at night, you reap the benefits of nasal breathing for 7+ hours a night. This includes things like better oxygenation, optimal breathing volume, harnessing nitric oxide, and brainwave synchronization.

Ultimately, this leads to deeper and more restorative sleep.

And if you’re a diabetic, your improved sleep might lead to noticeably better insulin sensitivity, which happened for this reader.

I guess it goes to show that a little bit of tape can go a long way.” Perfectly said. 🙏

 
 

 
 

1 QUOTE

“The air, we might say, is the soul of the visible landscape, the secret realm from which all things draw their nourishment.”

- David Abram, The Spell of the Sensuous

P.S. Thanks to 411 reader Davis for sharing this book, and specifically the chapter on breathing, with me. So much goodness to explore. 🙏

 
 

 
 

1 Answer

Category: Brainwaves and Creativity

Answer: These brainwaves, which are between 8 and 12 Hz, are most associated with creative thinking.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What are alpha brainwaves?


In good breath,

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

P.S. Slipping the bouncer a $20

 
 
 

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.

 
 

How Breathing Boosts Creativity, Why We Sigh, and Where Rumi’s Soul Lives

 
 

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Welcome back to another 411. Let’s jump straight in…

 
 

 
 

4 Thoughts


1. Breathing to Boost Creativity: Quieting the Amygdala, Pessimism, and 80%

“Unfortunately, to keep us safe, the amygdala is strongly biased toward negative information. …This crushes optimism and squelches creativity. When tuned toward the negative, we miss the novel.

- Steven Kotler, The Art of Impossible

When we meditate or practice slow breathing (~4-6 breaths/minute), activity in our amygdala is reduced. It’s hypothesized that this occurs through the “hyperpolarization” of neurons, which literally makes them harder to excite.

This turns down negative thinking and turns up creativity. It’s not magic; it’s membrane potential : )

Perhaps this is why, after interviewing the most creative people on the planet, Tim Ferriss discovered that “More than 80% of the interviewees have some form of daily mindfulness or meditation practice.

These practices naturally lead to cardiorespiratory coherence, quieting the pessimistic amygdala, allowing us to see the novelty all around us.

So how about we slow down our breath, quiet our amygdala, and cultivate a little more creativity, today.

***

Related Quote:When Video Arts asked me if I’d like to talk about creativity I said ‘no problem!’ No problem! Because telling people how to be creative is easy, it’s only being it that’s difficult.” - John Cleese

2. Breathing To Live A Fuller Life

It is life that is the real teacher. Practice should open us to a fuller life, not cut us off from it altogether.

- Larry Rosenberg, Breath by Breath

As much as I’m obsessed with my breath practice itself, this is perfect. We should use our practice to open us to a fuller life. To be more creative at work, to hike up a mountain, to accomplish a new PR in the gym.

And this really applies to everything we do for better health. Let’s not make the practice our life. Instead, let’s use the practice to have a fuller life.

***

P.S. Like most of these thoughts, I’m talking to myself here : )

3. Why We Sigh

But there may be more to sighing than just sustaining life. Research suggests that sighing also may relieve stress.

- Jack L. ­Feldman, PhD and Ramani Durvasula, PhD

Why We Sigh

As if sustaining life wasn’t enough : )

Here’s another excellent article on sighing, this time from BottomLineInc. Be sure to read how you can “harness the sighing effect.” It’s doesn’t involve sighing at all…

Enjoy!

***

Related: Pair this with one of my favorite articles ever, which goes by the same name: Vice: Why We Sigh

4. The Easiest Way to Immediately Improve Your Breathing

The inhalation should be extremely soft and continuous, whether sitting down or lying down. If you are walking or standing, you should be relaxed. What is forbidden is noise.

- The Primordial Breath, Volume 1

The easiest thing you can do to instantly improve your breathing anytime, anywhere, is just make it quiet. “What is forbidden is noise.

 
 

 
 

1 QUOTE

“The soul lives there in the silent breath.”

- Rumi

 
 

 
 

1 Answer

Category: Amygdala Etymology

Answer: Because of its shape, the amygdala got its name from the Greek word amygdale, meaning this.

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

Question: What is almond?


In good breath,

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

P.S. take it from here good luck

 
 
 

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.