evidence is yet to be shown. The World Health Organization (WHO) states: "They should maintain a calm approach, where possible remove sources of anxiety and coach respirations (i.e. encourage normal breathing, not deeper and quicker than usual). ... Acute stress should be managed using psychological first aid as per WHO (2010) mhGAP guidelines." Following up in "Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers", published in 2011, the WHO states "Encourage the person to focus on their breathing, and to breathe slowly." Then although they instruct calming respiration as a response to stress, no instructions regarding diaphragmatic breathing are given. Furthermore, there are those who claim diaphragmatic breathing may reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and menstrual cramps, but the research presented is lacking. One should note that casual diaphragmatic breathing relies on other muscles used in thoracic breathing (such as the intercostal muscles), and that the diaphragm usually participates in healthy thoracic breathing, suggesting the speculated separation between the two isn't as neat as some would like to believe. Finally, some pathologies, especially those affecting the elasticity or mobility of the chest or rib cage, would spell for an increase reliance or necessity for diaphragmatic activity during respiration. Benefits The use of diaphragmatic breathing is commonly practiced, especially in those patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to improve a variety of factors such as pulmonary function, cardiorespiratory fitness, respiratory muscle length, and respiratory muscle strength. Specifically, diaphragmatic breathing exercise is essential to asthmatics since breathing in these patients is of the thoracic type in association with decreased chest expansion and chest deformity as a result of a deformed sternum like pectus excavatum (funnel chest); a shortened diaphragm, intercostals and accessory muscles from prolonged spasm causing stenosis of the major airways leading to an abnormal respiratory pattern. Relation to music Diaphragmatic breathing is also widely considered essential for best possible singing performance. Diaphragmatic breathing also allows wind instrumentalists to maximise intake of air, minimising the number of breaths required for progressing players. See also Breath Buteyko method Circular breathing Kussmaul breathing Pranayama – a traditional Yogic practice of slowing and extending the breaths, used during meditation Shallow breathing – a type of breathing that is mutually exclusive to diaphragmatic breathing and is associated with multiple anxiety disorders Wim Hof method References The link in Reference 5 is broken. I was unable to find the video on their website. Additional