Deep breathing exercises to feel calmer when anxious
Some days your chest feels tight, your thoughts speed up and your breath gets short and high. You can't think your way calm, but you can breathe your way toward it. These are the simple practices I come back to myself, and the ones I teach most often. Pick the one that fits the moment you're in.
Please read first. This is educational, not medical advice. If you're struggling, please talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing or feel faint, or this is the first time you've felt like this, call your local emergency number.
Choose by the time you have
| You have | Try this | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 2 minutes | Two or three physiological sighs (a double inhale through the nose, then a long, slow exhale through the mouth), then slow breaths, in for 4 and out for 6 to 8 | Below, and the physiological sigh guide |
| 5 minutes | Slow belly breathing with a longer exhale, or simply noticing your breath | Below, or Breath Awareness (6 min) in The Practice |
| 15 minutes, lying down | A guided deep rest: a slow body scan and counted breathing, 4 in and 8 out | NSDR 15 Minute Guided Deep Rest, below |
Slow belly breathing with a longer exhale
- Sit or lie down somewhere you can be still for a few minutes. Let your shoulders drop.
- Rest one hand on your belly. Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of 4 and let your belly rise.
- Breathe out slowly for a count of 6 to 8, through your nose or softly through pursed lips.
- Keep going for two to five minutes. If counting feels like too much, just make each exhale a little longer than the inhale.
- When you finish, notice how you feel. No need to judge it. Just notice.
Go gently. Never practice breathwork while driving or in or near water.
Practice with me
“Listening to Sam is as meditative as hearing Andy Puddicomb’s British accent on my Headspace app.”
Omaid Homayun, Forbes, October 5, 2023
NSDR 15 Minute Guided Deep Rest
Settle in, a slow body scan from fingertips to crown, then counted breathing, 4 counts in and 8 out, and a gentle return.
Nervous System Reset Breathwork
Five minutes of active two-part breathing, then a long, deep rest. This one starts energizing, so save it for when you have time to lie down and you're not in a panicky moment.
In The Practice
- Breath Awareness (6 min): no technique, no effort, just noticing how you breathe.
- The Five Gears (11 min): learn to shift your state up for energy or down for calm.
What the research has explored
- A systematic review of slow breathing found it linked with feeling more relaxed and less aroused (Zaccaro et al., 2018).
- A meta-analysis of randomized trials found breathwork was associated with lower self-reported stress, with small to moderate effects (Fincham et al., 2023).
- In a Stanford study, five minutes of breathing practice a day for a month improved mood, and cyclic sighing, which uses the double inhale and long exhale, gave the biggest boost (Balban et al., 2023).
These studies explored what happens on average. Your experience is your own, so notice what helps you.
Keep reading
Questions people ask
This is educational, not medical advice. If you're struggling, please talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing or feel faint, call your local emergency number.
Which breathing exercise is a good place to start when I feel anxious?
Many people start with slow belly breathing and a longer exhale: in through the nose for 4, out for 6 to 8. Rest a hand on your belly and let it rise as you breathe in. If counting feels like too much, just make each exhale a little longer than the inhale.
How long should I breathe slowly to feel calmer?
Start with two minutes and build to five or ten when you can. In a Stanford study, people practiced for five minutes a day for a month (Balban et al., 2023). The studies reviewed by Zaccaro and colleagues (2018) looked at slow breathing, under 10 breaths a minute.
Is it better to breathe through my nose?
When I'm guiding calm breathing, I like breathing in through the nose when you can, because it tends to make the breath slower and softer. If your nose is blocked, breathing gently through your mouth is fine. The long, easy exhale matters most.
Can I use these breathing exercises at work or before a big moment?
Yes. A couple of physiological sighs or a minute of longer exhales is quiet enough to do at your desk, before a call or backstage. Save the longer guided sessions for when you can sit or lie down, and never practice while driving or in or near water.
What if slow breathing makes me feel more anxious?
That happens to some people, and it's okay. Go gentler: breathe a little less deeply, shorten the count, or simply notice your breath without changing it. Open your eyes, feel your feet on the floor, and stop whenever you want. If it keeps happening, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional.
When should I talk to a professional?
If anxiety is getting in the way of your daily life, your sleep or your relationships, or you're struggling, please talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. Breathing practice can sit alongside their care, never instead of it. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing or feel faint, call your local emergency number. This is educational, not medical advice.