what a longer exhale actually does

When you breathe out slowly, the pace of your heart eases in step with it. That link is measurable and it runs both ways, which is why lengthening the exhale is such a reliable place to start when a body is stuck in high gear.

It is not a trick to make hard feelings disappear. It is a way of giving yourself slightly more room to stand next to them.

You do not need a technique or a count to begin. Breathe out for a beat longer than feels natural, a handful of times, and notice what changes. That is the whole practice, and it is portable.