Breathing Exercises

How we’re breathing makes a big difference in how we feel—mentally, physically, and emotionally. When we’re scared or anxious, our nervous system ramps up, and our breathing becomes short, quick, and shallow. In addition, our heart rate increases, our muscles get tense, and our minds might freeze or begin to race.

Once this process starts, it can be hard to stop it. Luckily, there are techniques that you can use to slow down your nervous system and feel more calm. The most efficient way to do this is by taking slow, deep breaths.

Breathing exercises are a particularly powerful tool for calming your nervous because you can use them anytime, anywhere—no tools needed. See below for step-by-step guides on how to do a few popular breathing exercises. You can also visit our pages on Relaxation Exercises and Grounding Techniques for guides to using other coping strategies.

  • Calm breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, involves taking smooth, slow, and regular breaths. It is the basis of all breathing exercises. Before jumping into any particular exercise, practice a few deep, calm breaths. Here’s how to start:

    • Get comfortable in your seat and let your arms rest loosely at your sides or in your lap.

    • Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, breathing into your lower belly. The air you breathe should push your stomach out, not your chest. If you notice that your chest is rising and falling with your breath, focus on breathing more deeply into your belly.

    • Hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds.

    • Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth.

    • As you exhale, release any tension that’s built up in your shoulders, neck, abdomen, or face.

    • Wait a couple of seconds before you take your next breath, but don’t wait so long that you feel like you’re uncomfortably holding your breath.

    • Close your eyes and relax your shoulders and chest

    • Inhale slowly and gently for 4 counts

    • Hold your breath for 4 counts

    • Exhale slowly and gently for 4 counts

    • Hold your breath for 4 counts

    • Start again with the inhale

    • If holding you breath for 4 whole counts is uncomfortable, try reducing it to whatever feels comfortable for you

    • Find a comfortable position

    • Touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth

    • Exhale all of the air in your mouth/chest out through your mouth

    • Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 counts

    • Hold for 7 counts

    • Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts, making a blowing noise

    • The speed with which you do this is not important (do it at a pace that is comfortable for you), the ratio is more important - making the exhale longer than the inhale

    • Hold one hand out

    • Use the pointer finger of your other hand to slowly trace the fingers of the hand you’re holding out

    • Breathe in as you trace up a finger, breathe out as you trace down

    • Repeat for all five fingers

Additional Notes & Troubleshooting

  • Regular practice is key.

  • It helps to practice these exercises initially while you’re feeling calm.

  • Daily practice is best, ,even if just for a few minutes. Not only can it help reduce your baseline anxiety, but also the more you practice these exercises, the more accessible and helpful they will feel when you are in tense moments.

  • If you’re having difficulty breathing into your belly, try this exercise lying down with one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Breathe deeply so that the hand on your belly rises as you fill your lungs with air. The hand over your heart should not move much.

  • Like other anxiety-management skills, the purpose of these exercises is not to completely avoid anxiety, but these exercises can help you get through a tough moment, build your self-regulation toolkit, and feel more in control of your mind and body, especially when emotions are high.

  • These coping strategies are for educational and informational purposes only. They can be helpful, but they’re not a replacement for professional mental health care. If you're struggling or need support, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed therapist who can offer more personalized support.