Why slow breathing calms you down

Try this: put two fingers on your pulse and breathe in slowly, then out slowly. You may feel your heart speed up a little on the in-breath and slow down on the out-breath. That’s normal and healthy, and it’s the key to why slow breathing works.

The brake pedal

Your nervous system has an accelerator (the “fight or flight” side) and a brake (the “rest and digest” side). Every out-breath gives the brake a gentle press. When you make your out-breaths longer, you press it for longer.

Around six breaths a minute

For many people, breathing at about five to six breaths a minute (in for 4 or 5, out for 5 or 6) makes the rise and fall in heart rate as big and smooth as it gets. That swing, called heart rate variability, is linked to feeling calmer and recovering better from stress.

You don’t need to hit an exact number. Slower than usual, with a long, easy out-breath, is enough.