The way you breathe changes the way you feel. Slowing your breath, and especially your out-breath, tells your body it’s safe. Here are four simple exercises you can do anywhere, and when each one helps most.
When you’re stressed, breathing gets fast and shallow. Breathing slowly, with a longer out-breath, switches on the body’s “rest and digest” system: your heart rate drops and muscles loosen. Most people feel a difference within a minute or two.
Box breathing (4-4-4-4)
Steady and easy to remember. Good for focus before an exam, a meeting or a hard conversation.
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold for 4.
Breathe out through your mouth for 4.
Hold for 4. Repeat for 1–4 minutes.
4-7-8 breathing for sleep
The long out-breath makes this one especially calming, which makes it good in bed when your mind won’t switch off.
Breathe in quietly through your nose for 4.
Hold for 7.
Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 8, as if through a straw.
Repeat four times. If the counts feel too long, keep the same rhythm, faster.
The physiological sigh
The quickest way to calm down in the moment: two breaths in through the nose (a full breath, then a short extra sip of air), then one long, slow breath out through the mouth. One to three rounds is often enough.
Belly breathing
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in through your nose so the belly hand rises and the chest hand stays still, then breathe out slowly. Practise for five minutes a day and it becomes your go-to when stress hits.
Tips
Sit or lie comfortably, and let your shoulders drop
If you feel dizzy, stop and breathe normally; go gentler next time
Practise when you’re calm, so it’s easy to reach for when you’re not
Any exercise with a longer out-breath than in-breath helps. The physiological sigh works fastest in the moment, box breathing is easy to remember anywhere, and 4-7-8 is especially calming before sleep. Try each and keep the one that suits you.
How long do breathing exercises take to work?
Many people feel calmer within one to two minutes. Practising for a few minutes every day makes the effect stronger and makes the exercises easier to use when you are stressed.
Can breathing exercises help me sleep?
Yes. Slow breathing with a long out-breath, such as 4-7-8, relaxes the body and gives a racing mind something simple to focus on, which helps many people fall asleep.