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    Facts & Tips

    Exhalation and Calm

    Fact

    Did you know that a long exhale can help you feel calm?

    • Lengthening the exhale stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is part of our autonomic nervous system. It is the "rest and digest" component of our nervous system. It helps us to feel calm and slows our heart rate because we are not in a state of "fight or flight" activation (sympathetic nervous system).
    • According to National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI), inhalation at 2 second count and exhalation at a 4 second count is sufficient to activate the above response of calmness.
    • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037091

    Here are 3 tips to incorporate this at home:

    1. Count out loud or snap while inhaling and exhaling (make the exhale twice as long as the inhale). Do this for 5-10 minutes.
    2. Try it in other positions like lying flat on the floor! You can put a stuffed animal on the belly for a visual while continuing to count at the above ratio.
    3. Have your child write or report how they feel before and after this style of breathing.