Deep and Slow
Six seconds in, six seconds out. No hold, no ornament. The best technique for learning to use the diaphragm.
4 min read
Six seconds in through the nose, six seconds out through the nose. Five breaths a minute.
It looks a lot like Coherent Breathing. The difference is that the pace is a little slower and the emphasis is on depth.
What it is good for
This technique teaches diaphragmatic breathing. Most people breathe through the upper chest all day: the shoulders lift slightly and the belly doesn't move. That is a fast, shallow pattern.
The diaphragm — the dome-shaped muscle under the lungs — pulls the lower part of the lung open when it contracts. Because blood flow is denser in the lower part, taking oxygen from the air is more efficient there too.
Five breaths a minute is in the range where the measured effects of slow breathing appear: heart rate variability increases and the breathing rate drops.
How to do it
Put a hand on your belly. In this technique your hand is the best teacher.
Breathe in through the nose for six seconds. Let your belly be what rises, not your shoulders. It can feel strange in the first sessions — it is the opposite of the habit.
Breathe out through the nose for six seconds. Don't push; let it go — the belly draws in by itself.
No hold, no waiting.
Common mistakes
Breathing with the chest. The most widespread mistake. If the hand on your belly doesn't rise, you are breathing from the chest.
Forcing the exhale out. Pushing the air out with the abdominal muscles is unnecessary. When the diaphragm relaxes, the air leaves by itself.
Taking in too much. The word "deep" misleads: it doesn't mean filling until you burst, it means reaching down to the lower part. Six seconds should pass comfortably.
How it differs from Coherent
In practice the two are very close. Coherent focuses more on rhythm (five and a half a minute, breath matched with heartbeat); Deep and Slow on depth (the diaphragm working).
Both are open from the start in the app. If you want to settle belly breathing, Deep and Slow suits better; if you want to settle the rhythm, Coherent.
How the app measures it
A calm technique breathed out through the nose, so the sound is low. With no hold, the measurement is simple: the timing, the length and the smoothness of the exhale, and whether the inhale was heard.
In this technique the sound of the exhale comes out very low for most people. If it isn't heard, bringing the device a little closer is enough. Forcing the breath to make it audible is not the right fix: the measurement gets spoiled and the technique loses its point.
Who should take care
No known risk. If six seconds feels long, drop to five — what matters is that the rhythm is even and unbroken.