Diaphramatic Breathing

This is sometimes called 7 - 11 breathing because of the counting when performing this technique:

1. Breath in to a count of 7.
2. Breath out to a count of 11.

The numbers are somewhat unimportant apart from the fact that the outbreath must last longer than the inbreath.

The reason for making the out breath last longer than the in breath is that inhalation has been shown to trigger the sympathetic nervous system (arousal) and exhalation shown to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation response).

By breathing out more slowly than breathing in, you strengthen the relaxation response over the arousal response.