Lengthening the exhale shifts the balance towards the parasympathetic side of the nervous system. That is the whole trick, and it works on a train platform as well as on a mat.
What changes
The heart slows slightly on every out breath. Make the out breath longer than the in breath and the average heart rate drops, blood pressure follows, and the part of the brain that scans for threats gets a little less to do. None of this needs belief. It needs a count.
The count
Breathe in for four, out for six. Do not force the in breath; let it arrive. If six feels long, use five. After a few minutes try four in and eight out, and notice where your shoulders are.
When to use it
Before a difficult conversation. In the queue. In the ninety seconds before class starts, which is why we ask you to sit before we begin. It is the one technique that comes with you everywhere and costs nothing.
