Extended Exhale: Polyvagal Practice For The Vagus Nerve

A short, gentle polyvagal-informed practice. Slowing the breath by lengthening the exhale to support the vagus nerve and signal the nervous system to settle. A simple and accessible way to feel grounded and regulated.

Inspired by nervous system regulating activities developed by Unyte | iLs.

Transcript

Extended exhale.

So here we're slowing down the breathing through a longer exhalation.

So you can start by finding a comfortable position and go ahead and inhale and exhale slowly for several rounds of breath.

Just doing that at your own pace.

And together we are going to begin extending the exhale to twice the length of the inhale.

And we'll do this together.

So you can start to empty your lungs and then we're gonna breathe in for one,

Two,

And breathe out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe in for one,

Two,

And out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe in for one,

Two,

And breathe out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe in for one,

Two,

Breathe out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe in for one,

Two,

And breathe out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathe in for one,

Two,

Breathe out for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

So keep going.

Here we're maintaining a one-to-two ratio.

You can gradually start to extend your breath to your comfort.

Perhaps extending it to four seconds in and then eight seconds out.

You can continue this pattern for several minutes as long as you're comfortable and then eventually returning to your own natural pace.