10 Breathing Exercises to Try When You’re Feeling Stressed

Pursed lip breathing

This simple breathwork exercise helps slow your breathing pace by making you apply deliberate effort in each breath.

You can practice pursed lip breathing at any time. It may be especially useful during activities such as bending, lifting, or stair climbing.

Practice this 4 to 5 times a day when you begin, so you can learn the breathing pattern correctly.

To do it:

1. Relax your neck and shoulders.
2. Keeping your mouth closed, inhale slowly through your nose for 2 counts.
3. Pucker or purse your lips as though you were going to whistle.
4. Exhale slowly by blowing air through your pursed lips for a count of 4 or more.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing (aka belly breathing) can help you use your diaphragm properly.

A 2020 meta-analysis reports that breathing with your diaphragm is particularly helpful in people with breathing challenges, such as those due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart problems, or cancer.

It may also help reduce stress and help with challenges related to health conditions, such as:

• eating disorders
• constipation
• high blood pressure
• migraine headaches

Work your way up to practicing diaphragmatic breathing for 5 to 10 minutes 3 to 4 times daily.

When you begin, you may feel tired, but over time the technique should become easier and should feel more natural.

1. Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent and your head on a pillow.
2. You may place a pillow under your knees for support.
3. Place one hand on your upper chest and one hand below your rib cage, allowing you to feel the movement of your diaphragm.
4. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling your stomach pressing into your hand.
5. Keep your other hand as still as possible.
6. Exhale using pursed lips as you tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your upper hand completely still.

You can place a book on your abdomen to make the exercise more difficult. Once you learn how to do belly breathing lying down, you can increase the difficulty by trying it while sitting in a chair. You can then practice the technique while performing your daily activities.

Breath focus techniques

Also known as fundamental breath focus, these techniques incorporate mindfulness to add extra stress relief. They involve controlling your breath while focusing on the sensations of breathing and calming words, images, or ideas.

You can choose a focus word or phrase that makes you smile, feel relaxed, or is simply neutral. Some examples include the words “peace,” “let go,” or “I breathe out tension.” It can be any word or idea that suits you.

As you build up your breath focus practice, try starting with a 5 or 10-minute session. Gradually increase the duration until your sessions are 20 minutes or more.

To do it:

1. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
2. Bring your awareness to your breaths, without trying to change how you’re breathing.
3. Alternate between normal and deep breaths a few times. Notice any differences between normal breathing and deep breathing. Notice how your abdomen expands with deep inhalations.
4. Practice your deep breathing for a few minutes.
5. Place one hand below your belly button, keeping your belly relaxed, and notice how it rises with each inhale and falls with each exhale.
6. Let out a loud sigh with each exhale.
7. Begin to combine this deep breathing with imagery and a focus word or phrase that will support relaxation.
8. Imagine that the air you inhale brings waves of peace and calm throughout your body. Mentally say or think of your chosen word or idea.
9. Imagine that the air you exhale washes away tension and anxiety. You can say to yourself, “exhaling away tension and anxiety.”

Lion’s Breath

Lion’s Breath is an energizing yoga breathing practice that may help relieve tension in your jaw and facial muscles.

It’s also known in yoga as Lion’s Pose or Simhasana in Sanskrit.

To do Lion’s Breath:

1. Come into a comfortable seated position. You can sit back on your heels or cross your legs.
2. Press your palms against your knees with your fingers spread wide.
3. Inhale deeply through your nose and open your eyes wide.
4. At the same time, open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue, bringing the tip down toward your chin.
5. Contract the muscles at the front of your throat as you exhale out through your mouth by making a long “haaa” sound.
6. You can turn your gaze to look at the space between your eyebrows or the tip of your nose.
7. Repeat this technique 2 to 3 times.

Alternate nostril breathing

Alternate nostril breathing, known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama in Sanskrit, is a breathing practice for relaxation.

This breathing technique has been reported to enhance cardiovascular function and lower heart rate.

Nadi Shodhana is best practiced on an empty stomach. Avoid the practice if you’re feeling ill or congested. Keep your breath smooth and even throughout the practice.

To practice this:

1. Choose a comfortable seated position.
2. Lift your right hand toward your nose, pressing your first and middle finger down toward your palm and leaving your other fingers extended.
3. After an exhale, use your right thumb to gently close your right nostril.
4. Inhale through your left nostril and then close your left nostril with your right pinky and ring fingers.
5. Release your thumb and exhale out through your right nostril.
6. Inhale through your right nostril and then close this nostril.
7. Release your fingers to open your left nostril and exhale through this side.
8. This is one cycle. Continue this breathing pattern for up to 5 minutes.
9. Finish your session with an exhale on the left side.

If you find it hard to coordinate your fingers this way, try using your thumb and any other fingers you find comfortable to close your nostrils.

Equal breathing

Equal breathing or box breathing is known as Sama Vritti in Sanskrit. The technique focuses on making your inhales and exhales the same length.

A 2023 study reported that equal breathing for 5 minutes daily led to improvements in mood, anxiety, and negative emotions.

Find a breath length that is not too easy and not too difficult. You also don’t want it to be too fast, so you can maintain it throughout the practice. Often, this is between 3 and 5 counts.

Once you get used to equal breathing while seated, you can do it during yoga practice or other daily activities.

To do it:

1. Choose a comfortable seated position.
2. Breathe in and out through your nose.
3. Count during each inhale and exhale to ensure they are the same duration. Alternatively, choose a word or short phrase to repeat during each inhale and exhale.
4. You can add a slight pause for breath retention after each inhale and exhale if you feel comfortable. (Normal breathing involves a natural pause.)
5. Continue practicing this breathwork for around 5 minutes.

Resonant breathing

Resonant breathing is when you breathe at a rate of 5 full breaths per minute. You can achieve this rate by inhaling and exhaling for a count of 5.

Breathing at this rate maximizes your heart rate variability (HRV). A high HRV can be a sign of fitness, heart health, and resilience to stress. According to a 2022 study, resonant breathing can improve perceived stress and cognitive function.

To practice resonant breathing:

1. Inhale for a count of 5.
2. Exhale for a count of 5.
3. Continue this breathing pattern for at least a few minutes.

Sitali breathing

This yoga breathing practice may help increase relaxation.

Slightly extend your breath in length, but don’t force it. Since you inhale through your mouth during Sitali, you may want to choose a place to practice that’s free of potential allergens and air pollution.

To practice Sitali breathing:

1. Choose a comfortable seated position.
2. Stick out your tongue and curl your tongue to bring the outer edges together.
3. If your tongue doesn’t do this, you can purse your lips.
4. Inhale through your mouth.
5. Exhale out through your nose.
6. Continue breathing like this for up to 5 minutes.

Deep breathing

Deep breathing helps relieve shortness of breath by preventing air from becoming trapped in your lungs and helping you breathe in new air. It may help you feel more relaxed and reduce stress and anxiety.

To do deep breathing:

1. While standing or sitting, draw your elbows back slightly to allow your chest to expand.
2. Take a deep inhalation through your nose.
3. Retain your breath for a count of 5.
4. Slowly release your breath by exhaling through your nose.

Humming Bee Breath

The unique sensation of this yoga breathwork can help create instant calm or tension relief around your head.

Some people use humming bee breath, aka Bhramari, to relieve frustration, anxiety, and anger. Research suggests it may help reduce your heart rate, allow you to think more clearly, and feel less irritable or stressed.

It’s best to practice in a place where you’re free to make a humming sound.

To do Bhramari:

1. Choose a comfortable seated position.
2. Close your eyes and relax your face.
3. Place your first fingers on the tragus cartilage that partially covers your ear canal.
4. Inhale and gently press your fingers into the cartilage as you exhale.
5. Keeping your mouth closed, make a loud humming sound.
6. Continue for as long as is comfortable.

From Our Editors

“The beauty of breathwork is that it can be practiced at any time throughout your day. Taking a moment to breathe deeply can provide instant stress relief.

“Whenever I start my day with some deep breathing, even for just a few minutes, I am inevitably more grounded and less stressed. Throughout my workday, taking a moment to connect with my breath helps steady my mind and allows me to move from task to task with more clarity and ease. Deep breathing, when practiced in any form, can be as relaxing as it is rejuvenating.”

— Andrea Rice, Editor

Read more about breathwork meditation in this article.

^{Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.}

FAQ

Takeaway

You can try most of these breath exercises right away.

However, check with a doctor first if you have any medical conditions or take medications. Also, make sure to start at a level that feels comfortable to you, gradually increasing the duration and repetitions as you build stamina.

If you want to learn more about healthy breathing, consult a respiratory therapist or a psychiatrist for more help managing stress. A yoga teacher who specializes in breathing practices can also give you practical advice on technique.

Stop and contact a doctor if you experience any symptoms while doing breathing exercises.