Some economists suggest they are, while others suggest it's the other way around: Longer expansions lead to more severe recessions. ... The most recent US business cycle has been remarkable in both its recession and expansion phases.
A business cycle represents fluctuations in the economy around full-employment output, but an economy's full-employment output, often called potential GDP, can also change. It grows over time due to population growth, growth in the economy's capital stock, and technological change.