Recovery · Recovery
Long Exhale Breathing
Parasympathetic activation, heart rate reduction, nervous system regulation
Minimum Effective Dose
25s
The shortest time that still creates real, measurable change. Hit the dose and the benefit starts. Everything after is bonus.
Why it works
Extended exhales activate the vagus nerve, shifting your nervous system from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. This is the simplest, most evidence-backed breathing technique for immediate stress reduction.
How to do it
Exhale longer than you inhale.
Let ribs soften down. No forcing. Just a longer out-breath. Exhale roughly twice the length of the inhale.
- Lie on your back or sit comfortably. Close your eyes if you like
- Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of 3–4
- Breathe out slowly for a count of 6–8. Let your ribs soften down. Repeat
- No forcing, just let the exhale be passive and soft
Related exercises
Pair with breathwork
Wind down after your session with a Shift breathwork protocol.
Baseline builds this into your session automatically.
The system decides what you need, sequences the exercises, and runs the timers. All you do is press start.
Launching May 2026 · Free to try
