I’ve been doing a lot of diaphragmatic breathing in recent weeks. I won’t go into details, but it turns out that to fight through any kind of non-acute pain, all you need to do is get up, keep your schedule, and breathe diaphragmatically.
I’m not making this up. I’ve learned this from specialists at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, and I’ve been testing it when I can’t sleep in recent weeks. By jove, it’s true! Next time you can’t sleep, if you breathe diaphragmatically (or belly breathe) for at least 10-15 minutes, you will fall asleep. It’s pretty neat!
So when I saw this day on the calendar, I got quite excited.
I was thinking… heck, I can share what I’ve learned with others.
If you are stressed about life, can’t stand imperfect maps (note: you will want to learn how to breathe diaphragmatically before tomorrow for sure), AI eliminating your job, prompt cartography, the weather, or upper-management’s decision-making, you can just do what today’s “map” shows you how to do and your migraines, canker sores, phantom back pains, and stress rashes will disappear. No need for a chiropractor, pain meds, or calling that 1-800 number you saw on late-night television with the overly friendly supplement salesperson.
So take a deep breath and learn how to breathe diaphragmatically. Today’s map, or chart of the air ways and vagus nerve, will be a start. It takes practice, but you’ll get there.
ChatGPT / Web Mapper GPT Prompt
For national relaxation day, I would love to create a little interactive visualization (and kind of game, but not really) displaying how diaphragmatic breathing can help relax the central nervous system via the Vegas Nerve. A somewhat minimalist web interface would be needed, that shows a human body outline with the diaphram and lungs reprented, as well as the vegas nerve. The user should be able to pick if tehy are male or female at the start. The outline figure will have stereotypical boy or girl hair and a a smiley face when the app starts after the user selects their gender on the main page.
Then, a cacophony of horn beeps and news quips, etc., just noise will start playing. There will be a little heart-beat monitor that starts beating fast and faster… and a largish button that just says “Breathe In”.
When the user presses it, a simple but professional animation will show air entering the lungs, and the person’s belly and rib cage will expand slightly, as long as the button is held down. Then, after no more than six seconds (if they are still holding the button… The button will switch to say “Breathe Out” and automatically, the person’s breathe will release slowly and the rib cage and belly receded back to the original size. The outside world’s noises will have quieted during the breathing in and stay quiet as the person is breathing out. After a brief pause, the noise and commotion sounds will increase again, and the person’s heart rate will tick upward until the user hit breathe in…
Diaphragmatic breathing… Somewhere on the website have an “What is diaphragmatic breathing?” button for the user to click. When clicked, show a description of diaphragmatic breathing and list all of its known benefits. Please cite studies or the Mayo Clinic website when writing this, but use your own language. Write it for middle- and high-schoolers.
Explain the Symptomatic (fight, flight, freeze) and asymptomitic [sic, please correct] states (relax and digest) and explain how breathing can get you out of the fight, flight, and freeze mode.
Make it informative. Please include some useful iconic graphics that explain the Vegas nerve, etc. Make it approachable for middle-school kids and older.
The site should look professional. Similar to a Mayo Clinic information website (font, colors, etc.). Ideally this web page becomes a gateway for teachers and medical professionals to introduce teens to diaphragmatic breathing. Thanks!