Extended Exhale Breathing

If you only learn one breathing technique, make it this one. Extended exhale breathing is the fastest way to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and counteract the stress response.

The mechanism is the vagus nerve — the longest of your cranial nerves, running from the brainstem all the way to your abdomen. When you exhale slowly, you stimulate it, which sends a "safety" signal to your brain.

The ratio that works best: inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 8 counts — at least twice as long as the inhale. If 4-8 feels hard, start with 3-6 and build up.

About six slow cycles are usually enough to produce real physiological calming — roughly 90 seconds.