1. Ensure your in-breath is not huge – it should be ‘ordinary’. It doesn’t matter if you’re not sure what this might mean; it just matters that you begin to become aware if you’re feeling like you need a big sigh-type in-breath.

2. Perform a slow out-breath that lasts about 6 to 8 seconds – almost complete exhale – with or without a gentle hum or ‘voo’ noise.

3. Use the abdominal muscles (if necessary) to hold still at the end of the out-breath – so you are holding your breath out. Gently.

4. This is the subtle and all important bit – be curious about what ‘the feeling of needing to breathe in again’ actually feels like physically, and where in your body those feelings are. Study these feelings a little.

5. The more you can be curious about this feeling, the longer you will find yourself holding your breath out (almost effortlessly).