A longer out-breath: the simplest way to let go

There’s nothing to learn: you’re already breathing. Just let the air out a little more slowly, and keep that rhythm for a minute or two.

The idea

When you breathe in, your heart speeds up very slightly. When you breathe out, it slows down. It happens naturally, with every breath. Making the out-breath longer than the in-breath simply means spending more time on the side that slows things down.

How to do it

1. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
2. Breathe out gently, through your nose or mouth, for a count of six.
3. Repeat, without forcing or holding your breath.

At this pace you take six breaths a minute, far fewer than the usual twelve to twenty at rest. If four and six feel too long, try three and five: what matters is that the out-breath is longer.

What the research says

A 2018 review in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience brought together about fifteen studies of slow breathing, at under ten breaths a minute. Slow breathing was linked to higher heart rate variability, a sign the body is shifting into rest, and to lower reported anxiety. The authors point out that the studies are still small and very different from one another. It’s a simple, safe practice, not a treatment.

When to use it

Before sleep, after a busy day, or in the middle of a morning that’s moving too fast. One minute is enough to start, five if you have time.

This article is general information. It isn’t medical advice and doesn’t replace a health professional.