Optimal Being

“ How to Breathe Correctly for Optimal Health, Mood, Learning & Performance ,” In this post we discuss how deliberate respiration (breathing) represents a unique and powerful bridge between the subconscious and conscious mind — and how specific breathing protocols allow us to shift the state of our brain and body in powerful ways. We explain how to  use specific breathing patterns  to influence your brain-body state and thereby  positively shift your mood, physical capacity, and focus — and improve sleep . Indeed, even brief, deliberate breathing protocols, if done correctly, can positively impact all these around the clock — not just during the breathwork practice. Why We Breathe Breathing allows the body to draw in oxygen (O 2 ) and discard carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), or more accurately to  balance  ratios of O 2 :CO 2  in our brain and body. When we inhale, oxygen fills and passes from millions of tiny sacs (“alveoli”) in our lungs, into our bloodstream....

Stimulating the sleeping brain may ease suffering from memory loss, stroke or mental health problem. It was late, and Sonia was alone in an unfamiliar town, trying to find her way home. The map showed a route through a dark forest lit by an occasional lantern. She viewed it with foreboding but, seeing other people also using this passage, took it. Walking fast, she neared a couple ahead of her—a man and a woman—who suddenly stopped, turned and grabbed her. The man covered her face with a cloth. She found herself on a stage with a ceiling spanned by a mirror. A crowd of men armed with guns and knives encircled her; she was about to be tortured and killed. Sonia picked up a stone and threw it at the ceiling, which shattered. Pieces of glass rained down, piercing her shoulder and foot. She fled into the forest, pursued by the couple, who could read each other's minds. The woman saw where Sonia was running and informed the man—Sonia knew she would be hunted down. This nightmare and sim...

Summary :  Researchers discovered a link between educational attainment and biological aging, using data from the Framingham Heart Study. Their findings, utilizing the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock on genomic data, reveal that higher levels of education are associated with a slower pace of aging and a reduced risk of mortality. This landmark study highlights the potential of educational interventions to promote healthy longevity, underscoring education as not just a socio-economic benefit but a key factor in biological resilience and lifespan extension. By focusing on upward educational mobility and sibling comparisons, the study offers robust evidence that the benefits of education extend deeply into our biological makeup, influencing our health trajectories and mortality risks. Key Facts: Link Between Education and Aging : Two additional years of schooling were found to correlate with a 2-3% slower pace of aging, as measured by the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock. Educational Mobilit...

A meta-analytic review of randomized-controlled trials evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition found that these interventions consistently yield small-to-moderate improvements in global cognition and various cognitive subdomains. The improvement levels are practically meaningful. The study was published in   Health Psychology Review . Mindfulness is the practice of paying deliberate and non-judgmental attention to the present moment, cultivating awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings to promote mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall well-being. It is often used in psychotherapy as a therapeutic technique to help individuals manage stress, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance self-awareness, and develop healthier coping mechanisms by incorporating mindfulness practices and principles into their treatment. Mindfulness-based interventions typically involve practices like meditation, deep breathing, and body scans to...