4. Coherent breathing
Because this is a slightly more advanced technique, Fincham recommends beginning by finding a comfortable position, either sitting upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or lying down on your back. Rest one hand on your belly, and one on your chest to help you monitor whether you’re breathing more deeply or shallowly.
Then either close your eyes or lower your gaze and take two to three normal breaths to settle in. Start breathing through your nose and consciously direct the breath downwards to engage your diaphragm, so that the hand on your belly rises first, and slightly further than the hand on your chest.
Fincham says it’s important to keep your breathing smooth, resisting the urge to gulp air at the start of the inhale or push air out forcefully at the end of the exhale. “The breath should feel continuous and wave-like, no sharp edges,” he says. “Imagine your breath as a slow tide coming in and going out.”
Then try to establish a rhythm. Fincham suggests using an app or soundtrack to help you inhale slowly for five seconds then exhale for five seconds with no breath holding. This pattern will ensure you’re taking approximately six breath cycles per minute. If this feels too challenging, start by inhaling and exhaling for fewer seconds, and gradually build up to five seconds over several sessions.
“With increasing familiarity, it will become easier to move towards a more regular rhythm, for example by mentally counting the duration of each inhalation and exhalation,” says Andrea Zaccaro, a psychology and breathwork researcher at the University of Chieti-Pescara in Italy.
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