Why Breath is the First Step to Longevity (According to Science & iHeart)

Breathing for Longevity: Top 3 Science-Backed Techniques & My Tips

In today’s wellness world, everyone is talking about mindfulness and for a good reason. From calming emotions to regulating your nervous system, mindfulness has far-reaching benefits that touch nearly every aspect of well-being. But there’s one lingering question:

“How do I know it’s really working?”

So, what happens if your nervous system isn’t regulated? You may experience chronic stress, sleep disturbances, emotional reactivity, and even premature aging which are  all silent signs of internal imbalance.

Let’s explore the science-backed ways to increase your lifespan I.e one breath at a time.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Also known as “belly breathing,” this technique encourages full oxygen exchange and activates your parasympathetic nervous system. It strengthens the diaphragm and reduces the load on the heart and lungs.

Try this:

Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, allowing the belly to rise. Exhale for 6 seconds. 

Repeat for 2 minutes.

This simple practice lowers blood pressure, balances your human breath rate per minute, and boosts oxygenation — all key to long-term vitality.

2. Coherent Breathing (5 breaths/minute)

Coherent breathing involves syncing your inhale and exhale to about 5–6 seconds each, resulting in a balanced breath rate of 5–6 per minute.

Studies show that this activates the vagus nerve, enhances heart rate variability, and lowers inflammatory markers associated with aging.

Scientific Note: Dr. Richard Brown and Dr. Patricia Gerbarg (authors of The Healing Power of the Breath) demonstrated how coherent breath reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and extends healthspan.

3. A Breathing Exercise for Longevity (Kriya-Inspired)

Inspired by yogic breath traditions, this practice focuses on gentle spinal breathing:

• Inhale deeply, imagining energy moving up the spine
  

• Hold for 2 seconds
  

• Exhale slowly, imagining energy flowing down the spine
  

• This technique oxygenates the brain and slows your internal biological clock — a concept echoed in Autobiography of a Yogi and now validated by neuroscience.

Take a Deep Breath for Longevity  And Track It

Enter the iHeart Wellness Monitor, a groundbreaking tool that allows you to see the physiological effects of mindfulness in real-time. 

When paired with personalized mindfulness sessions, this device becomes your accountability partner, health tracker, and motivator all in one.

The iHeart Wellness Monitor is a fingertip pulse wave velocity sensor. In just 90 seconds, it provides a snapshot of your internal health by measuring aortic stiffness — a clinically validated indicator of biological aging, cardiovascular health, and nervous system performance.

It calculates your Internal Age, offering powerful insight into how your daily choices and habits that are influencing your health — literally showing you the impact of regulating your nervous system on your long-term vitality.

Who Am I, and Why Should You Listen to Me?

Hi, I am Geetanjali Joshi, a Certified Counselling Psychologist, Yoga Trainer, and Mindfulness Expert but beyond the titles, I am a seeker of stillness, a lover of depth, and a believer in inner freedom.

For over a decade, I have supported people through stress, anxiety, and life’s challenges by simplifying complex ideas into practical tools. 

I combine psychology, yoga, and mindfulness to help you feel better mentally, physically, and emotionally.

My work is rooted in the wisdom of the ancient yogis who didn’t just teach poses, they taught how to live. I have spent years studying not only the psychology of the mind but also the sacred ways in which breath, awareness, and movement can awaken the deepest healing in us.

I have worked with students who struggle to focus, parents feeling exhausted, and professionals overwhelmed by deadlines. Most came to me feeling stuck but with time, they found clarity, calm, and balance.

I guide people to reset their nervous system in 45 minutes not through hacks, but through practices rooted in ancient breath traditions, now backed by modern science.

If your mind feels busy, you are always tense, or you feel disconnected from yourself then these sessions are made for you.

Breathing for Longevity: The Secret in Plain Sight

If your breath is short, shallow, or erratic, your body stays in a state of stress which accelerates aging. Research now shows that mastering your human breath rate per minute is one of the most effective longevity tools you already have.

With every slow, conscious inhale, you are not only calming your mind but  you are also triggering biological processes that slow cellular aging, improve cardiovascular function, and enhance brain performance.

In fact, scientists studying centenarians have found a common trait: low resting respiration rates and strong vagal tone, both linked to deep, efficient breathing.

Why Pair IHeart With Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is more than just relaxation, it’s about regulating your nervous system, building emotional resilience, and reversing biological aging.

Techniques such as conscious breathing, grounding awareness, and stillness directly influence markers like brain, nervous system, heart rate variability, stress response, and oxygen saturation.

But those results can feel intangible. That’s where iHeart comes in.

With the iHeart Monitor, clients can track:

• How mindfulness impacts their heart rate and pulse
  

• Shifts in oxygen saturation with breath training
  

• Improvements in brain and autonomic nervous system function
  

• Positive changes in Internal Age over time
  

This data creates a powerful feedback loop encouraging regular practice and giving clients measurable proof of their growth.

What Happens During Our Mindfulness Sessions?

We begin with breath — slow, steady, intelligent breath.

We layer in grounding, attention training, emotional processing, and often stillness so deep it feels like coming home.

Meanwhile, the iHeart app quietly gathers live data, showing how your body is responding. Within minutes, you will witness the physiological impact of regulating your nervous system:

On your app dashboard, you will see:

• A drop in your resting heart rate
  

• Improvement in heart rate variability (HRV)
  

• Higher oxygen levels
  

• Reduced internal inflammation markers
  

• Decrease in your Internal Age over time
  

• How your brain and autonomic nervous system bounce back from stress
  

• And week by week, you will watch those little graphs go up, up, up in the direction of health, resilience, and radiance.

The Power of Real-Time Feedback

One of the most powerful aspects of the iHeart system is accountability through data. Clients often report:

• A sense of control over their health
  

• Motivation to practice mindfulness consistently
  

• Greater trust in their body’s healing process
  

• The excitement of “gamifying” their wellness journey
  

This real-time feedback helps turn wellness into a habit because when you can see progress, you want to keep going.

IHeart Apps: A Full Picture of Inner Health

The iHeart Wellness Monitor is supported by a suite of powerful mobile apps. Each one adds a unique layer of insight into how your body is functioning and how mindfulness is transforming it.

1. Internal Age App

The core app that delivers your Internal Age by analyzing aortic stiffness. As you practice mindfulness, watch your Internal Age drop — a powerful motivator for long-term lifestyle change.

2. Brain App

Assesses autonomic nervous system (ANS) performance, showing how stress, breathwork, and calm affect brain and body coherence.

3. HRV App

Tracks heart rate variability — one of the most important indicators of stress resilience and overall health. Mindfulness practices can dramatically improve HRV over time.

4. Record App

Logs continuous heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Helpful for breathwork tracking, post-session monitoring, and understanding your daily rhythms.

5. Remote App

Perfect for remote sessions or clients traveling. This app enables real-time sharing of readings, creating continuity in coaching and therapeutic work.

Scientific Backing: Breath, Nervous System & Longevity

Modern research supports what ancient traditions like Kriya Yoga and Taoist breathwork have taught for centuries: slow, conscious breathing heals the body.

• According to The Healing Power of the Breath book by Drs. Brown and Gerbarg, techniques like coherent breathing (5 breaths per minute) enhanced vagal tone and reduced inflammation.
  

• Studies show that improved heart rate variability (HRV) is correlated with decreased anxiety, better sleep, and increased longevity. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4092363/

• Autobiography of a Yogi reveals how Kriya Yoga oxygenates the brain, rejuvenates the spine, and slows cellular aging — principles now echoed by cardiology and neuroscience.
  

So if you are wondering how to regulate your nervous system quickly, breath is your answer and now, you can measure its impact. 

With daily mindfulness practice and the iHeart Wellness Monitor, you will see tangible improvements like a lower resting heart rate, increased oxygen levels, higher heart rate variability which is a sign of a healthy, resilient nervous system.

and more — all from a simple clip on your finger.

The Therapist + Tech Combo That Works

As a trained mindfulness facilitator and wellness therapist, I don’t just teach breathwork instead I also teach how to tune your body like an instrument. 

And now, with the iHeart system, we can track how well that instrument is playing. This is not just another app. Not just another wearable.

This is more than tech. It’s a mirror to your nervous system and together, we will clean that mirror until what shines back is radiant, alive, and resilient.

Ready to Transform Your Life, One Breath at a Time?

If you are looking for a trusted expert to guide you through emotional challenges and teach you the tools for a more balanced and mindful life, I am here to help. 

Take the first step towards a healthier mind and body with a FREE 45-minute guided breathing session.

When you purchase an iHeart Wellness Monitor, you will receive a free 45-minute guided breathing session with me,designed to help you apply what you are learning and experience real results.

Whether you are looking to feel calmer, stay focused longer, or simply connect more deeply with your body, this bonus session is here to support your journey.

👉 Order your iHeart device today to get your free session and begin your transformation — one breath at a time.

Whether you are looking to reduce stress, improve focus, or boost your overall well-being, this session is designed to help you unlock the healing power of your breath.

Start Your Free Breathing Session Now

MAKE THE DECISION TO CHANGE NOW! DON’T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY. 

You are worth it! Don’t wait. 

Start your change today by BOOKING YOUR FIRST SESSION.