Stress Less: A Simple Breathing Exercise for Calm
- Article
- Medical
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Why breathing can help
Stress can make breathing quicker and shallower, which may add to feelings such as tightness, dizziness or panic. Slowing your breathing gives you something simple to focus on while allowing your body time to settle. Evidence reviews suggest that regulated breathing may reduce stress and anxiety, although it should be viewed as a supportive technique rather than a replacement for treatment.[3]
Try this five-minute exercise
Sit or lie somewhere comfortable, with your back supported if possible.
Relax your shoulders and loosen anything that restricts your breathing.
Let your breath move down towards your belly as far as feels comfortable, do not force it.
Breathe in gently through your nose, counting from one to four.
Breathe out slowly through your mouth, counting from one to five.
Continue for 2 to 4 minutes, keeping the breath smooth and comfortable.
The NHS recommends practising breathing exercises regularly so they are easier to use when you feel stressed.[1][2] Try once a day for a week, then use the technique before appointments, during recovery or whenever tension begins to build.
Stop and return to normal breathing if you feel dizzy, increasingly breathless or unwell. Speak to a healthcare professional before trying breathing exercises if you have a condition that affects your breathing. Breathing exercises are not a substitute for urgent or ongoing medical or mental health care.
References
Bentley, T.G.K., D’Andrea-Penna, G., Rakic, M., Arce, N., LaFaille, M., Berman, R., Cooley, K. and Sprimont, P. (2023) ‘Breathing practices for stress and anxiety reduction: Conceptual framework of implementation guidelines based on a systematic review of the published literature’, Brain Sciences, 13(12), article 1612. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13121612
NHS (2026) Breathing exercises for stress. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/
NHS inform (2026) Breathing and relaxation exercises. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/mental-wellbeing/breathing-and-relaxation-exercises
Reviewed by our clinical team, last reviewed 10 September 2026.