Slow Paced Breathing

Breathing at a slow constant pace can be calming, and if done frequently for short periods of time then it seems to increase the ability to handle stress.

I do not recommend breathing at a constant pace for more than a few minutes, two or three times per day, as most rhythms in the body are healthy when they vary.

To do paced breathing, chose one of the tracks below and breathe with the instructions. Breathe easily and gently. There is no need to breathe deeply or to fill your lungs. The breathing pace should feel comfortable. If the pace feels too fast, pick a slower pace. If the pace feels too slow, pick a faster pace. There is no “best” pace and slower is not necessarily better. Each track is 3 minutes long.

Once you have found a comfortable breathing pace, practice with the audio of that pace 2-3 times per day. If you find you want to try a different pace go ahead and try it. If it feels more comfortable then use that pace. As long as the breathing pace feels comfortable and you use the pacer for only short periods of time then this is safe. If you feel any discomfort then do not use that pace and if no pace feels comfortable don’t do this technique. There are other ways to calm your body.

After a week or so using the audio track you can start slow breathing on your own. Simply remember the audio track you were using and let your body breathe at about that pace. Since you are not listening to a pacer your breathing will probably vary a bit. That is OK and you can continue to breathe for as long as you feel comfortable.

I recommend that you start with the 6-0 breaths per minute track as that works for many people.

6.0 breaths per minute (slower and faster paces are below this one).

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