Next time you're dealing with stress and in need of some relaxation therapy, why not try out a few breathing techniques to help you calm down?

As chartered psychologist Sue Firth explains, good breathing is essential for wellbeing, yet most of us fail to do it properly, as strange as that sounds.

She said people tend to breathe too lightly, lifting their diaphragm without taking in enough oxygen.

"We get short of breath or breathe too quickly so teaching yourself to breathe in and out slowly to a count of five each way slows the heart and re-energises your brain," she remarked.

"This not only brings in sufficient oxygen but makes sure adrenaline doesn't continuously panic the system thereby sending you into fight or flight."

Abdominal breathing is a great technique for relaxation and it's easy to do when you're lying down on your Yantra Mat as you'll be able to see your tummy expanding.

Inhale through your chest first, then into your abdomen so that it rises. When you exhale, make sure the air leaves your chest first, and then your abdominal area.

Of course the Yantra Mat can aid your breathing exercises by easing tension in the body, thereby helping the respiratory muscles to relax.

With its calibrated spikes, it actually encourages a more effective use of the diaphragm and lungs to help to make the most of each and every breath you take.

You can also perform a number of modified yoga poses on your Yantra Mat, from the Spiky Banana to the Curling Hedgehog.

Practising yoga is a great way to perfect your newly learned breathing techniques, as inhaling and exhaling as you move from pose to pose is one of the main foundations of the exercise.