Breathing basics

Your heart rate naturally speeds up a little when you breathe in, and slows a little when you breathe out. That is why many calming exercises make the out-breath longer than the in-breath.

A review of 15 studies found that slow breathing (fewer than 10 breaths a minute) was linked to signs of a more active calming system. People also reported feeling more relaxed and less anxious, although not every study found a change in mood.

In a 2023 study of 108 adults, people practiced a breathing exercise or meditation for 5 minutes a day for 28 days. An exhale-focused exercise, the “double-inhale sigh,” improved mood and slowed breathing more than meditation did.

When you are flooded with anger, fear or frustration, it is hard to think clearly. Stopping to breathe gives you a short pause. In that pause, you can choose what to do next, instead of reacting on impulse.

Counting your breaths also gives your busy mind a simple job. It works a bit like a mini meditation, pulling your attention away from worries and into the present.

Stress makes many of us tense up without noticing: raised shoulders, a tight jaw, a clenched stomach. Slow breathing is often paired with muscle relaxation because the two work well together.

Try it

1. Breathe in and gently lift your shoulders toward your ears.
2. Breathe out slowly and let your shoulders drop.
3. On the next out-breath, unclench your jaw and soften your belly.
4. Repeat 3 times.

Several reviews point the same way. Slow breathing is linked to signs of a more active calming system, and people often report feeling more relaxed. A review of randomized trials found breathwork lowered stress by a small-to-medium amount.

“Small-to-medium” matters. It means breathing is a real help for many people, but it usually takes the edge off rather than making stress vanish.

Researchers are interested in how slow breathing changes the tiny ups and downs in your heartbeat (called heart rate variability). In one study of 95 college students, those who breathed at a slow “resonance” pace had healthier heart rhythm readings, lower blood pressure during a stressful task and a better mood than a group that sat quietly.

That was one group of young, healthy students in a lab. Results may be different for other people or in everyday life.

Harvard Health also notes that a device sold to slow your breathing for blood pressure has weak evidence behind it, and that practicing the relaxation response may bring similar benefits without a device.

The vagus nerve really does help control heart rate and breathing, and slow breathing seems to work partly through this calming pathway. That part is fair to say.

What goes too far: claims that one special breath can cure anxiety, depression, illness or trauma. Research does not show that. A 2023 review of 143 studies on slow-paced breathing training found almost two out of three did not describe their methods well enough for others to repeat them.

Red flags in breathing claims

• Promises to “cure” a health or mental health condition
• Pressure to buy a course, gadget or program to get results
• Telling you to stop other care your clinical provider recommends
• Very forceful or extreme breathing presented as safe for everyone

At rest, adults usually breathe faster than this. Researchers found that at around 6 breaths a minute, heart rate and breathing tend to rise and fall together. Each person’s best pace is a little different, usually between 4.5 and 7 breaths a minute.

Many studies simply ask everyone to breathe at 6 breaths a minute. Others use a device to find each person’s own pace. Both approaches are used, and scientists haven’t agreed on one best method.

Try it (6 breaths a minute)

1. Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor.
2. Breathe in gently through your nose for 4 seconds.
3. Breathe out slowly for 6 seconds. One breath takes 10 seconds, so that is 6 breaths a minute.
4. If that feels like too much, try in for 3 and out for 4, and build up slowly.
5. Keep going for 2 to 5 minutes, then breathe normally.

Most calming exercises say “breathe in through your nose.” There is a good reason. Structures inside your nose called turbinates moisten and clean the air as it flows through. Breathing in through the nose also tends to be slower and quieter, which suits a calming breath.

Breathing out through the mouth is common in these exercises too, often through pursed lips. That makes the out-breath longer and easier to control, which is the calming part.

You may see bold claims online that nose breathing fixes everything or that mouth breathing is dangerous. The truth is calmer. Cleveland Clinic says mouth breathing isn’t a serious health issue for adults, though it can bring things like dry mouth, bad breath, snoring and tiredness. Breathing through your mouth when you are running for a bus is completely normal.

Colds, allergies, sinus trouble or the shape of the inside of your nose can make nose breathing hard. Never force it or struggle for air to follow an exercise.

Easy swaps

• Breathe in gently through slightly parted lips.
• Keep the breath soft and quiet, like sipping air through a straw.
• Focus on making the out-breath slow and long.
• Shorten the counts if you feel short of breath.

This is the classic calming breath. It is simple, takes a few minutes, and can be done anywhere: standing, sitting or lying down.

How to do it

1. Get comfortable. Loosen anything tight around your chest or waist.
2. If sitting, rest your back against the chair and keep your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
3. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Let the breath drop down into your belly, only as far as feels easy. Don’t force it.
4. Some people count slowly from 1 to 5 as they breathe in. Getting to 5 can take practice.
5. Breathe out gently through your mouth, counting 1 to 5 again if it helps.
6. Keep going for at least 5 minutes.

For extra practice, Cleveland Clinic suggests starting with 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, and building up slowly. Breathing out through pursed lips (like blowing on hot soup) helps slow the out-breath.

Box breathing gives each part of the breath an equal count of 4. Picturing a square helps: go up one side as you breathe in, across the top as you hold, down as you breathe out, and across the bottom as you rest.

How to do it

1. Slowly breathe all the way out.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
3. Hold your breath for a count of 4.
4. Breathe out for a count of 4.
5. Hold (rest) for a count of 4.
6. Repeat for 3 or 4 rounds.

It helps shift your body out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest.” The silent counting also gives your mind something steady to hold on to.

Tips

• Breathe gently. Don’t strain or gulp air.
• Too hard to hold for 4? Start with 3. Longer counts come with practice.
• Practice once or twice a day, even when you feel fine.
• Trace a square in the air, on a table or on a window with your finger.

This exercise copies the deep sigh your body does on its own when you are relieved or about to fall asleep. Researchers call it “cyclic sighing.” It puts the focus on a long, slow out-breath.

How to do it

1. Sit in a chair or lie down.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose.
3. Without breathing out, take a second, shorter sip of air to fill your lungs fully.
4. Breathe out slowly and completely through your mouth.
5. Repeat for up to 5 minutes, then go back to normal breathing.

In a 2023 study, adults who did this for 5 minutes a day for 28 days had a bigger boost in good feelings, and slower breathing, than people who did mindfulness meditation. Both groups felt less anxious. The good effects grew the more days people practiced.

In 4-7-8 breathing, the out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath. The counting gives your mind a focus other than your worries, and the long exhale helps switch on your calming system.

How to do it

1. Rest the tip of your tongue against the back of your top front teeth.
2. Breathe all the way out through your mouth, making a soft “whoosh” sound.
3. Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Don’t strain.
5. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of 8, with a “whoosh.”
6. That’s one round. Do 4 rounds in total.

It can help calm your mind before sleep. Practicing it regularly, even when you are not stressed, may help your body respond to stress more calmly over time.

Pursed-lip breathing slows your breathing down and keeps your airways open longer, so air moves in and out more easily. Cleveland Clinic notes it can also lower stress and help you relax. It is often taught to people with lung conditions like asthma or COPD, but anyone can use it.

How to do it

1. Sit comfortably and let your neck and shoulders loosen.
2. Breathe in gently through your nose for about 2 counts, with your mouth closed. It doesn’t need to be a big breath.
3. Shape your lips as if you were about to whistle or blow on hot soup.
4. Breathe out slowly through your lips for 4 counts or more. Don’t force the air out.
5. Repeat for a few minutes.

Tips

• Make the out-breath at least twice as long as the in-breath.
• Practice for about 5 to 10 minutes a day so it becomes natural.
• It can help during the hardest part of an activity, like climbing stairs or lifting.
• Learn it when you are breathing comfortably, not for the first time when you are short of breath.

Five-finger breathing (also called hand breathing) mixes slow breathing with touch and sight. Having something to look at and feel makes it easier to stay focused, which is why it’s great for kids, for anger and for busy minds.

How to do it

1. Hold one hand out in front of you, fingers spread like a star.
2. Put the pointer finger of your other hand at the bottom of your thumb.
3. Slowly trace up your thumb as you breathe in.
4. Trace down the other side as you breathe out.
5. Keep going, up and down each finger, breathing in on the way up and out on the way down.
6. When you reach the end of your pinky, you’ve taken 5 slow breaths. Go back the other way if you like.

Make it your own

• Go slowly. The slower you trace, the slower you breathe.
• Say a calming word on each finger, like “I am safe.”
• Trace a printed hand or a drawing if touching your own hand feels odd.
• Do it under a desk or in a pocket. No one needs to know.

This deep breath uses touch to help you feel steady. Your hands on your chest act like a gentle hug, and the slow release lets tension drain away.

How to do it

1. Place your left hand on your chest, and your right hand on top of it.
2. Gently look up toward your forehead, then close your eyes.
3. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Let it fill your belly, then your chest.
4. Hold the breath for 3 to 6 seconds, only as long as is comfortable.
5. Slowly release the breath through your mouth.
6. Repeat 3 to 6 times.

Deep breathing like this helps switch on your calming “rest and digest” system, which slows your heart rate and tells your brain you are safe. That can make it easier to manage anxiety, anger or frustration, and to make a better choice instead of reacting.

Pairing breath with slow movement helps when sitting still feels impossible. The movement sets the pace, so you don’t have to count. It is also a gentle way to loosen tight muscles.

Yoga is one well-studied way of joining breath and movement. In the U.S., it usually combines postures, breathing techniques and meditation. A 2020 review of 12 studies found yoga helped with feelings of stress in every one, and a 2019 review of 38 studies found a clear benefit for anxiety symptoms.

Arm-raise breathing

1. Stand or sit tall with your arms by your sides.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose as you raise your arms out to the side and up over your head.
3. Pause for a moment at the top.
4. Breathe out slowly through your mouth as you lower your arms back down.
5. Repeat 5 times, moving as slowly as you can.

More ways to move and breathe

• Shoulder rolls: roll up and back as you breathe in, down as you breathe out
• Walking breath: breathe in for 3 or 4 steps, out for 4 to 6 steps
• Gentle stretching or yoga, matching each move to a breath
• Seated version: just raise your hands to shoulder height

How to do it

1. Sit or lie down. Close your eyes or rest them on one spot.
2. Pick one place to feel your breath: the cool air at your nostrils, your chest, or your belly rising.
3. Don’t change the breath. Just notice it. Is it fast or slow? Shallow or deep?
4. When a thought pulls you away, silently say “thinking,” and return to the breath.
5. After 2 minutes, notice how your body feels now.

Some people find it easier to stay with the breath if they picture something. The VA suggests imagining your breath as gentle waves, flowing in as you breathe in and out as you breathe out. Another idea is to picture breathing in from your feet to the top of your head, then out from your head back down through your feet.

Other pictures to try

• A balloon gently filling and emptying
• A candle flame that barely flickers as you breathe out
• Leaves drifting in and out on a slow tide
• A door swinging softly open and closed

Linking words to your breath gives a busy mind something kind to hold. The VA suggests saying “I am” silently as you breathe in, and “at peace” or “calm” as you breathe out.

Phrases to borrow

• In: “Here.” Out: “Now.”
• In: “I am.” Out: “safe.”
• In: “Breathing in calm.” Out: “Letting go.”
• A short prayer or line from your own faith, if that fits you

When you are upset, gulping big breaths can push you into overbreathing, which brings dizziness and tingling. A slow, soft breath with a long out-breath is what calms the body.

Research shows breathwork lowers stress and anxiety by a small-to-medium amount on average. That is real and worthwhile, but it doesn’t replace therapy or other care when anxiety is affecting your life.

The calming part of breathing is the slow out-breath, not the hold. Holds should always be short and comfortable. In water, long breath-holds can cause blackouts even in strong swimmers.

Your nose moistens and cleans air, which is why many exercises use it. But Cleveland Clinic says mouth breathing isn’t a serious health issue for adults. If your nose is blocked, breathe through your mouth and keep the pace slow.

The VA describes breathing exercises as useful both in times of stress and every day for relaxation, and notes studies showing breathing exercises can help lower blood pressure. Athletes, students, parents, workers and grandparents can all use it.

The VA says it’s very common for the mind to wander. If your breathing is getting slower and deeper and you don’t feel dizzy or more anxious, you’re likely doing what’s right for you.

A clinical provider can check for physical causes of breathlessness, like asthma or heart problems, and can refer you to a mental health professional if stress, panic or worry is the main problem.

Things to bring up

• Any breathing trouble or chest feelings, and when they happen
• Health conditions that affect your lungs or heart
• How long you’ve been stressed or anxious, and what you’ve tried
• What you’d like help with most

Find A Helpline (findahelpline.com) lists free, confidential crisis lines by country, by phone, text or chat. The International Association for Suicide Prevention links to it from its own crisis-centre page.