Breathing is automatic, but it's also one of the few body systems you can control directly.
Heart rate follows breath
Heart rate naturally rises a little when you breathe in and falls when you breathe out.
Slower breaths, calmer body
Slow, steady breathing can shift the body towards its rest-and-digest mode, which tends to lower heart rate.
A simple pattern
Many people find it comfortable to breathe in for about four to five seconds and out for a similar time.
Not a treatment
It can help you feel calmer, but it doesn't replace medical care for heart or anxiety conditions.
Filed underHealth
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