Diaphragmatic breathing

Slow, deep breathing that engages the diaphragm (the dome-shaped muscle beneath the lungs) rather than the rib cage. On inhalation, the belly expands; on exhalation, it relaxes. Practised a few minutes a day (for instance 4-4-6: 4 s in, 4 s hold, 6 s out), it stimulates the vagus nerve, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers heart rate, cortisol and blood pressure. It improves heart rate variability, digestion, sleep and mental clarity. It is the foundation of heart coherence and of most meditation techniques.