Breathing Techniques and When to Use Each

Breathing is one of the few body functions that runs automatically but can also be controlled at will. That makes it a useful lever: changing the pace and pattern of your breath can influence heart rate and how tense or calm you feel. The techniques below are simple, need no equipment and take a few minutes. Each has a different purpose, so it is worth knowing more than one.

A note on safety: if you feel dizzy or light-headed during any exercise, return to normal breathing. People with heart or lung conditions, or who are pregnant, should check with a doctor before practicing breath holds.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Good for: a foundation for the others, and for noticing shallow chest breathing during stress.

How: sit or lie down with one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your belly rises while your chest stays fairly still. Breathe out slowly through pursed lips and feel your belly fall. Continue for five to ten minutes. It is commonly taught in pulmonary rehabilitation for people with lung conditions such as COPD.

Slow paced breathing

Good for: general relaxation and winding down.

How: breathe in for about five seconds and out for about five seconds, giving around six breaths a minute, which is slower than most people's resting rate. Studies of slow breathing at around this pace have found it can increase heart rate variability, a measure linked with the body's ability to relax and recover. A timer or breathing app helps at first.

Cyclic sighing

Good for: a quick reset when you feel stressed.

How: take a full breath in through your nose, then a second, shorter inhale on top of it to fill your lungs completely. Then breathe out slowly and fully through your mouth. Repeat for about five minutes. In a 2023 study from Stanford University published in Cell Reports Medicine, people who practiced cyclic sighing for five minutes a day for a month reported larger improvements in mood than a group practicing mindfulness meditation, although the study was small.

Box breathing

Good for: focus under pressure, such as before a presentation or a difficult conversation.

How: breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four. Repeat for several rounds. It is widely taught to police officers, athletes and members of the military as a way to stay steady under stress. If four counts feels too long, start with three.

4-7-8 breathing

Good for: falling asleep, for some people.

How: breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of four, hold for seven, and breathe out completely through your mouth for eight, making a soft whoosh sound. Start with four cycles. The pattern was popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil. Evidence specific to this exact count is limited, but it combines two features that tend to help, slow breathing and a long exhale.

Alternate nostril breathing

Good for: a calm, focused pause, and part of many yoga practices, where it is called nadi shodhana.

How: close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe in through the left. Close the left nostril with your ring finger, release the right and breathe out through it. Breathe in through the right, close it, and breathe out through the left. That is one round. Continue for a few minutes.

Why the exhale matters

A common thread in calming techniques is a slow or extended exhale. Heart rate rises slightly as you breathe in and falls as you breathe out, a normal pattern called respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Lengthening the out-breath leans on the slowing phase, which may be one reason these techniques feel calming.

Making it a habit

Breathing exercises work best when practiced regularly, not just in a crisis. Attach a few minutes to something you already do, such as after brushing your teeth, before checking your phone in the morning or when you sit down at your desk. With practice, a few slow breaths become an easy way to reset during the day. They complement, but do not replace, treatment for anxiety disorders or other health conditions.