Executive Summary
The current document was created with the purpose of promoting the empirically established health benefits of breathwork. We aim to do this in a manner that relates intimately to the practice of digital wellness, i.e., an intentional, sustainable, and health-promoting way of interacting with technology. Herein, emphasis is placed on discussing practical cues, suggestions, and specific techniques that can be applied to daily life, such as those concerning breathing exercises, deliberate breaks from technology, and mindfulness strategies surrounding our digital experience.
Both the GWI and SolaVieve champion the far-reaching and truly remarkable impact of digital health interventions, and indeed the extent of compelling benefits well-tech has to offer. We are passionate about aligning these gifts that technology affords us with the ancient art of breathwork in order to effect positive change across all dimensions of health, in this way promoting a truly holistic experience.
The following report combines articles written by three field experts.
In the first article, “WDDD Collaboration with Digital Detox,” we learn about the advent of World Digital Detox Day (WD3), and how the WD3 Initiative espouses different approaches and priorities to digital detoxing for children, the youth, and those in the workforce. While the initiative was founded, its early days, on the premise of recognizing and spreading awareness of the negative impacts of technology in our lives, it has now shifted focus towards promoting the proper use of technology in today’s world, i.e., how to effectively benefit from the advantages of our digital experience whilst simultaneously minimizing its negative impact. We learn, too, how more extensive and formal digital detox programmes within Wellness Centers are beginning to show great promise.
In the second article, “Capnography Technology for Humanizing Physiology,” we take a deep dive into the science of the breath and of respiration, two concepts often misconstrued as being one
and the same. We find how the incidence of ‘‘incorrect’’ breathing habits within healthy adult populations world-over is staggering, and carries with it a significant negative impact on the affected individuals’ emotions, cognition, personality, performance, and physiology. Over time, many people develop habits that generate a ‘‘misalignment’’ between their breathing (i.e., the physical act of moving one’s diaphragm to drive air in and out of the body) and respiration (i.e., the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at the cellular level within the lungs). Due to this misalignment, individuals often compensate by forcibly manipulating their breath. The article goes on to illustrate how these unhealthy breathing habits are learned, and that, currently, medical focus seems to be largely placed on symptom treatment rather than on the underlying causes behind these habits. We learn how our breath not only concerns gas exchange, but also involves the control of blood plasma pH, a marker intrinsically linked to carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the body. Capnography technology allows us to measure and monitor the concentration of our blood plasma CO2 in real-time, providing (when combined with breath behavior analysis) insight into the anatomy of one’s breathing habits. This in turn allows for the identification of symptoms and deficiencies associated with these unhealthy learned habits, and promises many other opportunities in the field of breathwork.
Finally, in the third article, “Digital Wellness & Breath,” we solidify our understanding of how digital wellness and conscious breathing truly function in symbiosis. We also learn specific details surrounding the dual meaning of digital wellness. Indeed, digital wellness can be thought of in its application to well-tech, i.e., the many apps and devices that allow us to track and improve health metrics. However, we can also view digital wellness as an approach to life’s tasks that balances our digital and non-digital experiences conscientiously and sustainably. Lastly, we are given some practical and effective methods by which to successfully integrate mindful breathing into the tech-related aspects of our lives.
With great pleasure, we introduce our three expert articles.
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Findings
Article 1: WDDD COLLABORATION with DIGITAL DETOX
Global Wellness Institute (GWI), to bring attention to problems of excess digital consumption in society. The WORLD DIGITAL DETOX DAY’s mission is to enable individuals and organizations to build increased awareness of the need to detoxify the mind and body from overuse of digital technologies.
Starting in 2021, the WDDD organization is actively working on outreach programs that can be performed by individuals and organizations to heighten awareness and offer practical solutions to their constituents. The WD3 organization has currently categorized its initiatives into 4 specific segments. These segments would increase and expand over time.
CHILDREN
Digital technologies are today prevalent and omnipresent in all age groups and in nearly every arena of life. Globally, there are more than 6.6 billion people owning phones. 90% use the phone as the primary way to access the web. People now spend significant amounts of time on social media, web and messaging apps. While digital technologies have created tremendous benefits in all aspects of life, there are several negative effects ranging from lack of sleep to depression as a consequence of excessive use of these digital technologies.
Our over-reliance on technology has the potential to harm society as a whole and the negative effects are already there for everyone to see. The COVID-19 pandemic further distanced families, friends, colleagues, and societies and created the type of reliance on digital technology and media that only increased the sense of isolation. Paradoxically, the more we are connected through digital technologies, the more alone and isolated we feel. Meaningful human connection and touch is being eroded and replaced by short messages, likes and follows.
The World Digital Detox Day Initiative
In order to counter the negative effects of digital technologies, DIGITAL DETOXIFICATION is essential. To this effect, the WORLD DIGITAL DETOX DAY (WD3) initiative was created by Dr. Rekha Chaudhari in 2021, in alignment with The
The new generation of children are digital natives. From urban to rural areas, school-going children are growing up with phones, internet, and social media. Many parents and teachers are not only unaware of the dangers of tech over-use, they actively encourage children to learn digital technologies at a young age. Therefore, it is critical to integrate digital detox education into the school curriculum. We intend to create such a curriculum on digital detox to teach children, teachers, and parents on how to properly use technologies without forming an addiction. Some of the basic guidelines include the following:
Limiting total ‘‘screen time” each day for a specific duration
Supervised use of digital devices and content
Basic education on recognizing and reporting cyber-bullying, online abuse, and spam
Prohibiting unauthorized use of digital devices
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DIGITAL ADDICTION
Digital addiction is a harmful dependence on digital media and devices such as smartphones, video games, and computers. Some psychologists believe that addiction to electronic devices and media should be classified similarly to substance abuse disorders.
Studies have found a strong correlation between high-frequency digital media use and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Up to 1% of the general population might qualify for the diagnosis under the official psychology manual’s proposed criteria.
Source: unitedbrainassociation.org
influence on society including youngsters. World Digital Detox Foundation is currently partnering with Spiritual Leaders to introduce the concept of “Digital Fasting.” For example, a spiritual organization will recommend (mostly encourage) a digital fast, and the duration of the fast is up to the individual. It may be a few hours or several days, e.g., 1-5 or 1-10 days of digital fasting for which points will be assigned on the participant’s name. These points can then be donated in lieu of money to various charitable funds on behalf of the doner.
Participants in digital detox fasting programs have been given task to stop the daily stimulation of their brains caused by things like social media, WhatsApp, online shopping, excessive internet use and gaming, gambling, porn and masturbation, and thrill and novelty seeking, which makes them eat out of emotion, anger, or depression.
Young adults engaging excessively in online gaming, social media, and content platforms tend to develop emotional problems. Several intervention strategies need to be deployed. We need to put more effort into replacing the dopamine kicks that people are getting from their Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and emojis, which trigger their brain's neurotransmitters. Society needs to promote a new definition of luxury called "A Growing RevolutionOffline is the New Luxury."
One such intervention is through spiritual groups such as religious bodies, which have a tremendous
Second, the Spiritual Organizations (SO) and its leaders will actively speak about ways for parents and youth to recognize digital addiction and provide ways to tackle it. SO can offer counseling and community programs in which youth can participate in helping the community, working together with other youth and learning to make productive use of digital technologies. "For this, the WDDD [will imminently be developing a handbook of symptoms and techniques with which to tackle the advent of digital addiction." For this, the WDDD shall develop a handbook of symptoms and techniques to tackle digital addiction.
YOUTH
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While technology is essential to today’s business, the corporate worker spends a significant amount of time on digital devices. This leads to loss of interpersonal communication, unhealthy relationships with colleagues, and constant interference, all leading to the inability to get any work done. This may lead to mental pressure. The WDDD initiative is working with several researchers and technology experts to bring together a book that assists firms in deploying a well-rounded digital technology usage. Some of the recommendations include:
Fixed breaks for employees from digital devices throughout the day
Workplace counseling to assist employees dealing with stress and emotional issues
Sensitization of managers and leaders in the workplace to the need of digital detoxification for overall employee well-being and increased productivity
Company-wide tools to increase community building, social interaction, and teamwork and collaboration in the physical space
WELLNESS CENTERS
Another area of emerging opportunities is the development of formal digital detox programs at wellness centers. Just like there are detox programs for the body, there will be detox programs for digital technologies. These dopamine detox participants strive to detach themselves from the day-to-day brain stimulation caused by activities such as social media, Whatsapp, and online shopping. These activities are replaced with less impulsive habits and lifestyle choices during the detox process.
With these programs, one can attend a 3-5 day detox program with other participants, and participate in various social and physical activities, build new relationships, and learn to use technology appropriately. The duration of the detox retreat is up to the individual. It may be a few hours or several days.
Summary:
While it is hard to imagine a world without technology , overuse and addiction are real emerging problems with the capacity to negatively affect the current and upcoming generations. In a world that stands divided, the World Digital Detox Day initiative is a necessity. While the program started with a single day in a year to recognize the downsides of excessive technology use, its ultimate goal is to encourage proper use of technology in daily life so that all the productive gains that technology has to offer can be realized, while minimizing the negative effectives on our children, youth, and society at large.
Everyone needs to acquire the ability to move with the current flow with life. In the past, it was believed that essential commodities included things such as food, clothing, and a roof over one's head. These days, the vast majority of people think that having access to the internet is a modern necessity. Because the vast majority of us are reliant on it for our very existence, we have to figure out how to put this novel resource to work to preserve our lives. This is the strategy that we intend to implement in order to meet the challenge that we posed to ourselves when we first began developing more contemporary ways of life.
WORK PLACE
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When we get to the bottom of a problem, one of the first things that we do is investigate the factors that contributed to the issue in the first place. What changes take place in our bodies when we eat an excessive amount of food, and are these changes the same regardless of how well we eat or how disciplined our lives are? A large number of people are already overloaded with digital consumption. As such, we need organizations like the GWI and WDDD to help society deal with the effects of this, and to veer in the direction of digital detox.
WORLD DIGITAL DETOX
Slogans
TURN OFF TUNE IN
WDDD mission - Offline is the New Luxury
WDDD Manifesto - PAUSE - RESET - START -
Unplug and turn-off once a week
Get more sleep & remove blue light
Practice mindfulness
No screen time during meals
Take notes in a notebook
Spend time in nature
NO Tech while you feed your child
Dr.Rekha Chaudhari
Founder- World Digital Detox Day www.worlddigitaldetoxday.org
discussion regarding whether or not beneficial improvements are effective. People have a tendency to repeatedly fall back on the same old patterns and routines. As a result, it is not entirely clear whether the detox programs that are currently available are actually effective.
On the other hand, giving up technology also means giving up the advantages that come along with it. Smartphones and social media platforms, for example, make it much simpler to communicate and interact with other people, two activities that have been shown to boost happiness levels. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that some studies have found that completely avoiding social media can have negative effects such as decreased satisfaction, boredom, feelings of social pressure, and fear.
It is of the utmost importance to develop digital detox programs that result in lasting change, but it is also necessary to conduct research on the mechanisms underlying change. We are in the process of presenting the first multicenter study to comprehend the various components, the efficacy of programmes, and sustained change following the detoxification in digital life. This will help close the gap that currently exists.
What Comes Next?
Previous research studies have concentrated on digital detoxification programs with the goals of improving productivity, self-control, social relationships, health, and overall well-being. There have been both randomized controlled studies and treatments based on field experience. The findings demonstrated that the effects of digital detox therapy differed, depending on whether the primary focus of the study was on performance, social interactions, health and wellness, or self-control. For instance, despite the fact that some studies found that interventions had no effect or even negative effects on people's well-being, other studies found that interventions had positive outcomes. There is continuing
We are excited to put forward the idea of acquiring the Digital Detox program, which is a ground-breaking international partnership initiative that aims to carry out a self-help program that is realistic, effective, and practical.
The program will be based on an approach that is unified, individualized, and holistic in nature. The initiative, which was established in the year 2016 and has its headquarters in Maharashtra, India, is comprised of influential professionals from 18 different countries.
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Upcoming research publication by WDDD by December 2022-10
Article 2: Capnography Technology for Humanizing Physiology
Peter M. Litchfield, Ph.D. and Sandra Reamer, MFA, MS
Professional School of Behavioral Health Sciences
“Given the high frequency of incorrect breathing patterns in the adult population, attention to the symptoms of hyperventilation [overbreathing] should be a routine part of every psychological evaluation, regardless of the specific presenting complaints. Faulty breathing patterns affect patients differently. They may be the central problem, directly bringing on the pathological symptoms; they may magnify, exacerbate, or maintain symptoms brought on by other causes; or they may be involved in peripheral problems that must be ameliorated before psychotherapeutic access is gained to the core treatment targets. Their manifestations may be direct and obvious, as when overbreathing leads to a panic attack, or they may initiate or maintain subtle symptoms that perpetuate an entire personality disorder. Diagnosis of hyperventilatory [overbreathing] conditions is crucial.” Fensterheim (1994)
Digital technology offers exciting opportunities for elevating consciousness, increasing awareness, pursuing creative potential, providing unique ways of self-exploration, improving personal and professiona l communications, and bringing us closer to others and the world. The convenience, cost-saving benefits, and the razzle dazzle of digital technology are tempting, very often exciting, but its applications in mental health can lead us down the easy path of reductionist thinking that dimin ishes the importance and relevance of individual differences and human experience. It can also, however, do precisely the reverse. We will illustrate this by introducing you to educational capnography technology, used in breathing behavior analysis to make real-time measurement of breathing habits and their effects on health and performance possible. It brings together physiology and behavioral science in a way that humanizes physiology (the body), rather than dehumanizing psychology (the mind).
We will begin with a quotation from a book chapter written by Herbert Fensterheim, a famed clinical psychologist of the last millennium, who points to the importance of understanding the role of breathing in mental health:
These “faulty breathing patterns” to which Fensterheim refers are dysfunctional breathing habits. These habits are about learned breathing mechanics, moving air in and out of the lungs in one way or another, e.g., slow vs. fast, diaphragm vs. chest, nose vs. mouth, and others. These mechanics not only regulate the transport of gasses (O2 and CO2) to and from cells, but also regulate the acid-base physiology of the body, specifically the pH of extracellular fluids, such as blood plasma. It is, in fact, CO2 concentration that very precisely regulates the pH of these fluids. Proper management of CO2 is essential to health and performance and is regulated by brainstem reflex mechanisms from one breath to the next. Unfortunately, however, many people learn breathing habits that disconnect breathing from these respiratory reflexes so that they can no longer properly regulate CO2 concentration. The result is breathing mechanics that are misaligned with respiratory chemistry, often resulting in profound and disturbing outcomes misinterpreted by mental health practitioners and their clients.
Breathing habits are learned reconfigurations of breathing physiology. In a recent publication of ours we describe the nature of breathing habits and their effects on physiology, psychology, and performance as follows:
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“We all have breathing habits, some of which may compromise respiration where breathing mechanics become misaligned with respiratory chemistry. Their effects on physiology can be profound, resulting in debilitating physical symptoms, psychological changes, and performance deficits. Unfortunately, habits that compromise respiration are rarely identified, their effects mistakenly attributed to other causes, and their resolutions prescriptive in nature where focus is on symptoms rather than on causes, e.g., relaxation techniques. Understanding breathing as behavior governed by both physiological and behavioral principles puts these shortcomings into perspective and offers solutions based on breathing behavior analysis.” (Litchfield & Reamer, 2022).
Real-time measurement of CO2 concentration, i.e., capnography technology, together with breathing behavior analysis makes possible the discovery of habits that misalign breathing with respiration. Compromised respiration for most people means oxygen deficit, which all too often translates into manipulating breathing in prescriptive ways that deregulate breathing, i.e., “taking over the breathing” in the name of getting more oxygen, increasing breathing efficiency, and reducing anxiety about getting enough air. In fact, however, it is indeed unusual that too little oxygen or underbreathing, in otherwise healthy people, is ever an issue. The most common, enduring, and insidious breathing habits actually lead to overbreathing, that is, a CO2 deficit condition known as hypocapnia.
Hypocapnic outcomes of breathing habits can lead to profound immediate and long-term effects that trigger, exacerbate, perpetuate, and/or cause a wide variety of emotional changes (anxiety, anger), cognitive changes (attention, learning), personality changes (self-confidence), performance changes (public speaking, test taking, athletics), and physical changes (pain, asthma) that may seriously impact health and performance. It is estimated that about 60% of the ambulance runs in the larger US cities can be attributed to the acute symptoms brought on by learned breathing behaviors (Fried, 1999)! Surveys suggest that up to 25% of the general population
may be suffering with the effects of learned dysfunctional breathing. In light of the decline in mental health and a 42% increase in unhealthy habits, reported in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (APA.org, 2022), these numbers may indeed be conservative.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in blood plasma can be determined with capnographs (capnometers) by continuous real time monitoring of the CO2 concentration of the air moving in and out of the lungs. The CO2 reading at the end of the breath is a measurement of its concentration in the alveoli of the lungs (where gas exchange takes place) which is highly and reliably correlated with CO2 concentration in the blood plasma (and other fluids), assuming proper consideration of other measurement factors. Capnographs are used for medical purposes, such as in surgery, critical care, and emergency medicine. CapnoTrainers® are capnographs used for educational (learning) purposes, that is, for identifying breathing habits that compromise respiration and learning new habits that optimize it.
Breathing behavior analysis in combination with wearable Bluetooth CapnoTrainer® technology, linked in real time to computers and to cell phone and tablet Apps, offers unique personal professional applications. The analysis based on this technology makes mapping out the anatomy of breathing habits and identifying the symptoms and deficits associated with them possible. It consists of personal experiential exploration (i.e., phenomenology), which includes discovery of breathing habit histories, behaviors, triggers, motivations, outcomes that sustain them, and their associated physiological effects, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and symptom interpretations.
Understanding breathing as behavior and the principles by which it regulates itself is fundamental to identifying breathing habits, modifying them, replacing them, and learning new ones. Educational capnography applications make possible determining the effects of specific breathing habits on health and performance, monitoring breathing behaviors and habits in the field (e.g., during athletics, academic testing, flight training),
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evaluating the outcomes of breathing self-intervention techniques, and confirming the establishment for self-regulation breathing where interventions are no longer necessary. It is only a matter of time as to when capnography will be used more outside of hospital settings, including in the mental health field to help people learn what they can do to optimize wellness and performance. The importance of capnography in breathing behavior analysis can be summed up as follows:
“The relationship between breathing and respiration, mechanics and chemistry, cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the psychological nature of physiology itself. Breathing, like any other behavior, is motivated and changes as a function of its outcomes.
Breathing isn’t simply mindless automation of physiology to be somehow consciously manipulated in the name of self-help. It is truly so much more than this. Simply manipulating breathing physiology for well-intended purposes, without regard to its psychological nature, does not do justice to the richness and complexity of breathing.” (Litchfield & Reamer, 2022).
Understanding the nature of breathing requires knowing about both its physiology and psychology, that is, its psychophysiology. Educational capnography makes possible unique practical applications that permit us to self-examine how physiology learns to reconfigure itself based on its own “experience,” that is, its own independent “consciousness.”
Perhaps it is this “consciousness” that comprises the “my unconscious” that so many of us, professionals and not, rely on for “explanations” of mental life and its challenges? If so, it follows that our “unconscious” is about “getting to know” our “selves” with “whom” we may be able to form a practical partnership. Digital capnography may help us recognize that a partnership is possible and then take the steps to create it. We hypothesize that physiology by its very nature is “psychology in action,” and that this is what indeed makes it “alive.” What better way to discover it!
There is an immense empirical literature that unequivocally demonstrates that physiology is fundamentally programmable, that it “learns” based on motivation and the outcomes of its actions. The use of digital technology in mental health points us toward this literature, that is, to the programmability of physiology for good and for bad. Thanks partly to this technology, it is time to elevate the status of physiology.
Article 3: Digital Wellness & Breath
Digital wellness and conscious breath go hand in hand because mindful/strategic breath is an antidote to digital overwhelm and also a powerful tool to keep your digital lifestyle WELL. Technology makes life easier, better, and faster on many levels, yet we’re human – and not wired for 24/7 connection to devices. Learning how to become more self-aware of and balance your use of Wi-Fi with humanity is an important part of Digital Wellness. We’re powered by our heart, not Wi-Fi and mindful breath can offer rest and relaxation for your brain, eyes, thoughts, energy, and nervous system quickly and efficiently – in under a couple of minutes. Using the power of strategic breath allows you to toggle effortlessly between devices and diaphragm to enjoy the best of both worlds –external and internal.
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As Co-Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) Breathe Initiative, our group’s goal is to share a variety of breath modalities and best practices that will enhance overall well-being and mental health. The way that you breathe directly and immediately affects how you feel; so you have the power to override your nervous system while you’re online and off. Our group represents many different philosophies/expertises on how breath can help you feel better, think better, sleep better, be a tool for long-haul COVID-19 issues, increase your vagal tone, elevate your heart health and consider how your daily behaviors and emotions inform the way you breathe…Or how you hold your breath in a constant stress response. Our goal is to help people understand that it’s never too late to rewire your brain and form healthy habits, using breath as a catalyst to create optimal mindset and energy in small moments to enhance well-being and be more present. We also want to share that there are all different kinds of breath modalities that range from simple, slow, light, nourishing breaths that can be done in a quick minute in the moment you most need it, to the more intense “breathwork” protocols like Wim Hof Method. There are breath tools for all different ages and phases of life, involving methods that can be done inconspicuously in a meeting, or kinds that require supervision and coaching. Breath is the new yoga today and there’s something for everyone; try several different teachers/classes/offerings and you’ll find tools that make you feel your best.
To me, digital wellness conjures up a dual meaning:
There’s an abundance of incredible wellness apps/well-tech that enable us to be well and access all sorts of information for living well.
Our digital lives need to be balanced with time unplugged to keep us healthy and well, because most of our time online isn’t spent on wellness apps.
We’ve become so attached to our devices, and since much of that time is spent on work, we equate the time with productivity, disregarding thoughts about the idea that too much of a good thing isn’t good. It’s sort of like eating from a buffet everyday without thinking about nutrition and weight. Since the challenge of balancing tech
and time unplugged to rest our mind is a global daily issue, I’m focusing this on the latter of the two meanings of Digital Wellness and sharing some suggestions for utilizing the power of breath to mitigate the proven consequences of being addicted to our phones.
Here are my top 5 ideas for seamlessly integrating mindful breath into your daily digital life:
What if you committed to opening emails while lengthening your exhales? When your exhales are 1.5-2x the length of your inhales, you signal your nervous system to relax. You’d mitigate the stress often caused by the simple act of opening your email.
In between online meetings, do 3-4 quick “transitional breaths” to clear your mind and let go of negative or stagnant energy. Physiological sighs or lion’s breath are my favorite.
Don’t let your devices dictate where your attention goes. Challenge yourself to reconnect to yourself first thing in the morning instead of grabbing for your phone and letting your email or social feed decide how you’re going to feel.
Schedule unplugged time and spend some of that outside in nature – even just 10 minutes a day of being outside and going inward. If you go outside in the morning light and at sunset time as well, it helps to regulate your circadian rhythm for better sleep.
Utilize the “focus” mode on your phone to set boundaries for notifications and distractions. When our attention is frequently interrupted at the whim of notifications, we lose quality focus/deep workflow.
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The up-to-the-minute innovations of Well-Tech are fascinating and are saving lives daily, educating us and helping us make better decisions about food, nutrition, sleep, mental health, fitness, and the science of wellness. All of these amazing offerings can often be hidden behind the constant temptation to scroll social feeds. It’s the wild west online so it’s up to you to balance and breathe. Less thumbs, more lungs. Access work, entertainment, education, wellness, while being mindful of balancing that time unplugged from devices and re-connecting to you. The most important moments in life are in real-time with real real people…And powered by breath. Find moments of ease and joy in the pause, without succumbing to the human reflex of grabbing the phone when there’s a moment of stillness. Instead, let that reflex serve as a reminder to take a slow, light, deep, nourishing breath and say hello to yourself. Retreat for a few golden moments to your inner sanctuary – this too is available 24/7/365. Reconnect to your intentions, priorities, and goals and then go online with purpose Find what makes your heart sing online and stick with those apps/platforms, and then balance that with treasured human connection – either way, mindful breath enhances the experience. Breathe well. Be well.
Conclusion
Continuous advancement in the realms of science and technology have led to exponential global progress over the past decades. It would not be a stretch to suggest that the world we share has become vastly more complex over this period of
unprecedented transformation. Many individuals living in the 21st century have witnessed - and been obliged to adapt to - profound changes in the way we conduct our personal, professional, and academic lives. As such, it may be of little wonder how our ancient brains, historically intended to live a greatly contrasting, more organic lifestyle, often struggle to cope with the minutiae of present-day life. Indeed, as you may have noted from the current report, there exists at present a vast and harmful dependence on digital media and devices, the psychological, physical, and social impacts of which are being felt across the globe.
However, where there is great challenge, there is often also great opportunity. This could not be more true for the space of digital wellness, and herein can be found the initial incentive for the current collaboration between the GWI’s Breathe Initiative and SolaVieve. Fundamentally, we are two entities striving to empower individuals across the globe to take charge of their wellbeing and lead more holistically vital lives through the vehicle of improved health literacy. In leveraging our shared values and common goals for the betterment of human wellness, we aimed with this collaborative white paper to shine an academic spotlight on the power of the breath, and how it can be applied in the service of digital wellness. We believe the omnipresence of technology in today’s world is not merely a passing craze, and that it is therefore our responsibility to find ways of living well in a system that relies, in many ways, on digital products. As such, it is our hope that this report may have unearthed some hitherto unknown information for its readers regarding breathing practices, and how these can be applied to digital wellbeing.
In the age of widespread tech, our greatest power will come from the ability to successfully balance the mental, physical, emotional, and digital experiences that allow us to live a truly holistic life. In this way, we are free to place the highest value on experiences we cherish the most, and those things that bring the greatest meaning, i.e., true human connections. When fully honoring a holistic way of life, we can reap the many benefits of technology, whilst minimizing its harms.
And so, go online with purpose, and remember always to breathe.
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References
Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 12, 353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353
Fensterheim, H (1994) Hyperventilation and psychopathology: a clinical perspective. Chapter 9, pp 139-146. In Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders. Editors, Timmons, B. H. & Ley, R.. New York: Plenum Press.
Fried R (1999) Breathe well, be well. John Wiley & Sons.
Litchfield, P. M. & Reamer, S. (2022) Embodied breathing habits: aligning breathing mechanics with respiratory chemistry. Journal of Holistic Healthcare and Integrative Medicine. Volume 19, Issue 2, pp 37-42.
News press release, American Psychological Society, March 2022, Stress in America: On second COVID-19 anniversary, Money, inflation, war pile on to nation stuck in COVID-19 survival mode.
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