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The Science of breathing
Glimp helps people breathe better. But why?
Find out more

Why should I breathe better?

80% of humans breathe too fast, leading to unnecessary stress” - Emma Ferris, 2021.

The tempo of your breathing is highly related to how your body deals with stress. Slow breathing lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, it signals the body to calm down. Taking conscious control of your breathing, is becoming the conductor of your own body. You will directly control what’s at play in your mind and body.

How do I breathe better?

Relaxation is in the exhalation. Every time you exhale, your heart rate will slow down a little bit. A deep sigh, for example, is a direct signal to the body to calm down.

Breathing has direct control over your nervous system, which consists of two parts. First, the sympathetic nervous system for ‘fight & flight’. This system prepares us for action when we face challenges. The other part, called the parasympathetic nervous system, helps us to ‘rest & digest’. You can also see them as the gas & brake pedal of the body.

Better breathing is taking conscious control of this gas or brake pedal.

How does Glimp help me breathe better?

Glimp’s Pebbles help you to build the healthy habit of conscious breathing. Through daily practice you will learn to internalize these breathing techniques and apply them in your daily life. The vibrations will guide you in the exact right breathing rhythm and afterwards we can show you the results through our sensor and app.

Science is within Glimp’s
core identity

3 generations

Glimp is working continuously to keep improving the product!

3 years

of reseach and development

40+ coaches

are using Pebbles in practice

Although people have been practicing breathing techniques for thousands of years, it remains difficult to scientifically prove the effectiveness. This has hindered the implementation of evidence-based breathwork interventions within standard healthcare. 

The expertise within our technical team enables us to leverage the power of AI and data science to innovate within this research domain. We’ve partnered up with healthcare professionals and research institutions to validate the effectiveness of our device. The Pebbles are co-created and tested with doctors, psychologists, (breath) coaches, (holistic) therapists, academics, and our end-users.

The positive health benefits of conscious breathing

Breathe and unwind

BREATHING & STRESS

Stress is a common reaction to life's hurdles, yet research suggests that functional breathing can be a key to managing it. By consciously slowing down your breath, you can trigger a relaxation response in your brain, helping to alleviate stress and create a sense of calm.

Breathe right, sleep tight

BREATHING & SLEEP

Attaining quality sleep can sometimes be a challenge, however, research indicates that breathing exercises can be beneficial. By promoting relaxation through specific breathing techniques, you're paving the way for better sleep, making falling and staying asleep less of a struggle.

Breathe out your burnout

BREATHING & BURNOUT

Burnout, often stemming from long-term workplace stress, can be significantly relieved through simple breathing exercises, as studies have shown. Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine acts like a reset button and allows you to decompress, aiding in emotional recovery and rejuvenation to tackle work demands with renewed vigor.

Calm is one breath away

BREATHING & ANXIETY

Anxiety can be quite unsettling, but breathing exercises provide a handy tool to combat it, as backed by research. Engaging in deep or rhythmic breathing can help lessen the symptoms of anxiety, offering a sense of calm and control when stuck in anxious thoughts.

More than a gadget,
professional care

Direct access to coaches with Glimp Pebbles. In a 30 min. online session, the breathing coach can give personalised lifestyle advice, supported by your personal bio-data.

Book your coaching session

Become a research partner!

Interested in a collaboration on research, data-science or (dys)functional breathing?Glimp analysed >10.000 breathing sessions!We’re happy to contribute to ‘the body of (breathing) knowledge!
vitality partners
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Research partners
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Our partners
AriseHealth logo2020INC logoEphicient logo
Seen on
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Awards-won
The Paak logoEphicient logoEphicient logo
Vitality partners
The Paak logoThe Paak logo
Research partners
Ephicient logoOE logoThe Paak logo
Our partners
AriseHealth logo2020INC logoEphicient logo
Seen on
The Paak logoThe Paak logoEphicient logoEphicient logo
Awards-won
The Paak logoEphicient logoEphicient logo

Frequenty asked questions

How does Glimp measure if I’m breathing correctly?

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Every time you exhale, your heart rate will slow down a little bit, and if you inhale it will speed up again. These tiny changes can be measured through our sensor. Additionally, we’re using an indicator called ‘heart coherence’ to determine if this breathing tempo suits your needs

What is Heart Rate Variability and why is it useful?

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Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the strongest scientific indicator we have for a healthy heart and a calm mind.

Your heart is not a metronome. When it’s ticking, it’s continuously adapting to everything that’s happening around. If your heart is healthy, it will show a high variability and continuously adapt it’s tempo (= a high HRV). A higher HRV is a good sign, showing that our body can handle stress well and relax when needed. Breathing exercises help in improving your heart rate variability.

How does Glimp measure mental health?

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The basis for our understanding of mental health lies within the HRV measurements. Our algorithm and bio-sensor are specifically designed to look for parameters within these measurements, that tell us something about emotional resilience, stress response and the ability to control your own ‘gas and brake pedal’.

What’s the difference between breathing tempo and breathing rhythm?

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One full breath cycle consists of four elements: INHALE - HOLD - EXHALE - BREAK. Therefore, ‘breathing tempo’ can be different than ‘breathing rhythm’.

Breathing tempo just refers to how many breaths you take in 1 minute.Breathing rhythm tells HOW you should breathe within 1 breath cycle.

Through different vibrations, the Pebbles can teach you to use the four different elements of the breath, to your benefit.

Other questions? Ask a Glimp breathing coach

We’re here to help. If you have any specific questions regarding the science behind what we’re doing. Or if you want to learn if breathing can help in your situation, feel free to reach out!
Get in contact