How to lower heart rate

Lowering your heart rate can be achieved through breathing techniques that engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm the body.

Key Techniques:

1. Physiological Sigh: This involves taking two consecutive inhales, followed by a long, extended exhale. This method is rooted in neuroscience and aims to quickly reduce stress responses by slowing the heart rate down 1.

2. Emphasizing Exhales: Extending the duration or vigor of your exhales compared to your inhales can significantly lower your heart rate. This is because exhalation engages the vagus nerve which is linked to the calming effects on the heart rate 2.

3. Heart Rate Variability: Techniques such as long exhales that promote heart rate variability (HRV) are particularly useful. HRV is associated with better stress resilience and indicates a healthy autonomic nervous system balance 3.

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     Mastering Breath Control

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     Breathing for Control

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     3

     Breathing and Heart Rate

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     Breath and Heart Rate

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     5

     Heart Rate Control

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4. Nasal Breathing: While the method of airflow isn't strictly important, some people find nasal breathing during these exercises helps in achieving a more relaxed state 4.

These methods provide tools for immediate stress management and can be practiced without extensive training or setup, allowing you to regulate your physiological state effectively in real time 5.