Plus, the science behind breathwork.
Can Breathwork Help With Sleep & Anxiety? I Tried Moonbird To Find Out Your breath is a powerful thing. Studies show certain breath patterns can improve stress levels, boost cognitive function, and improve heart rate variability , while also helping with sleep and anxiety—and yet I’ve always struggled to stay mindful of my breathing.
That’s why I recently jumped at the chance to test Moonbird, a sleek handheld device that acts as your own personalized breathing coach. Since I started weaving Moonbird’s short, snackable breathwork sessions into my days, I’ve seen a significant improvement in my HRV, sleep scores, and stress levels . Since HRV and sleep are my guiding principles of well-being, Moonbird has officially made me a breathwork convert. Keep reading for everything you need to know about breathwork, and how to use Moonbird to improve your own well-being. Moonbird Why breathwork? There’s a lot more to breathing than simply remembering to inhale and exhale—and there’s a reason yoga classes and meditation have a strong focus on your breathing patterns. Researchers have linked certain breathing exercises to lower stress levels, improved cognitive function, higher HRV, and even better sleep. A study out of Stanford University even compared breathwork to standard meditation and found that breathwork was more effective at improving mood, managing respiratory rate, and easing stress.What’s more, experts say breathwork can give you an endorphin high and clear negative energy and emotions from the body. What's great about Moonbird The sleek, minimalist design The first thing I noticed when opening my Moonbird was its chic, aesthetically pleasing design. Made from a biocompatible, medical-grade silicone, the silky smooth device fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.The Moonbird is available in four colors , and has a very simple look and feel. I’m pretty strict about keeping my desk vibe minimalistic, and I actually love having this sleek tech on display. It’s easy to use Moonbird’s biggest selling point is how easy it is to use. I had a very difficult time adopting a breathwork practice in the past—but this device truly made it simple to weave mindful breathing into my routine. While there is an Bluetooth connected app for the Moonbird, you can also use it without a screen. Here's how it works:How to operate Moonbird without the app:There are no buttons on the device. Instead, there is a sensor at the top for you to place your thumb on . To activate the Moonbird, you’ll simply place your thumb on the sensor and give the device a light shake. Once activated, the Moonbird will begin expanding and deflating on its own. All you’ll need to do from there is breath in and out with the guided pattern.How to operate Moonbird with the app:If you do choose to use the app, you’ll simply place the Moonbird in your hand , open the corresponding app on your phone, and choose the exercise you’d like to complete.Once you begin the exercise, you’ll place your thumb on the sensor and breathe in and out as the device expands and deflates. You can choose to keep the guided audio on or mute it, depending what you’d prefer. The app has a ton of guided sessions While I enjoy using the Moonbird without a screen, there’s a lot I love about the app as well. For starters, there are a ton of specialized breathwork techniques pertaining to various goals. You can choose from sessions for sleep, stress, anxiety, or HRV—and there are even breathing exercises specifically for children.Within the app, you’ll be able to adjust the length of each session. You’ll also log how you feel mentally and physically before and after, which helps determine which exercises are most beneficial for you specifically. There's data to back it I’m a data nerd, so one thing that deterred me from breathwork in the past was that I never really had any proof it was working. That’s why I love that the Moonbird app shows your heart rate, HRV, and coherence in real time during each session. Of course, I’ve also tracked my results using my Oura ring—and I was pretty shocked at the impact just one breathing session could have! My results from testing Moonbird After a few nights of less-than-stellar sleep, I decided to test one of Moonbird’s 4-minute sleep exercises to see if breathwork could actually help me sleep better. Spoiler alert: That’s exactly what it did!That night, my Oura gave me a 94 sleep score and my HRV went up 11 points. I test a lot of sleep aids, but I hadn’t seen a jump like this in a long time.What’s more, I felt extremely relaxed after that first Moonbird session. Since then, I've also tested the stress and anxiety sessions—and, of course, I’ve dabbled in the HRV breathwork exercises, too.Now I reach for my Moonbird a few times per day, when I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed or when I’m simply craving a bit more mindfulness. Moonbird The takeaway Despite years of unsuccessful attempts at building a breathwork practice, I’ve finally seen the results of mindful breathing firsthand. After significant improvements in my sleep, stress levels, HRV, and overall well-being, Moonbird has quickly become an integral part of my daily routine. I’d recommend this handheld device to anyone else who struggles to stay mindful of their breathing patterns.
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