Breathing exercises for stress and anxiety

The simplest breathing exercise for stress is to slow down and breathe out longer than you breathe in: in through your nose for about four counts, out for about six, five times in a row. It works standing, sitting or lying down, and nobody around you will notice. For a daily practice, the NHS recommends breathing gently into your belly, counting to five on the way in and five on the way out, for at least 5 minutes.

Below are four exercises for four situations, a 2-minute reset we wrote for acute stress, what to watch out for, and when stress or anxiety needs more than a breathing exercise.

4 breathing exercises for stress, by situation

For the full range of breathing techniques, including box breathing, 4-7-8 and cyclic sighing, see our overview of breathing techniques.

1. The 2-minute stress reset (script)

We wrote this for the moment stress spikes: after a tense email, before a difficult call, in a queue. It's built on the same steps as the Acute Stress SOS session in our app: arrive, breathe out longer, orient yourself, choose one small next step.

Arrive. Stop what you're doing, if you can. Feel your feet on the floor. Let your shoulders drop and your jaw soften a little. Breathe out longer. Breathe in quietly through your nose for four counts. Breathe out for six counts, slowly, without effort. If six feels too long, make it five. Do this five times. Look around. Name three things you can see, one after the other. Then notice one sound. Say one sentence to yourself. "I'm allowed to go slowly." Choose one small next step. Drink a glass of water, stand up and stretch, or write down the one thing that needs doing first.

If the stress is still high, repeat the breathing part for another minute or two.

2. Daily belly breathing (the NHS exercise)

This is the exercise the NHS recommends for stress. In short:

1. Sit in a chair that supports your back, lie down, or stand with your feet hip-width apart. Loosen any clothes that restrict your breathing.
2. Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is comfortable, without forcing it.
3. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
4. Breathe in gently and regularly, counting from 1 to 5 if it helps. You may not reach 5 at first. Then let the breath flow out, counting from 1 to 5 again.
5. Keep going for at least 5 minutes.

The NHS says you get the most benefit if you do it regularly, as part of your daily routine. If counting on your own is hard, the "even" pattern in our breathing exercise paces a 5-in, 5-out rhythm for you with a timer of one, three or five minutes.

3. Breathing exercise for stress at work

When you're at your desk, in a meeting or on a train:

1. Breathe out first, slowly, through your mouth or nose, as if letting air out of a balloon.
2. Breathe in through your nose for about four counts, into the belly.
3. Breathe out for about six counts. Let your shoulders sink as you do.
4. Repeat three to five times. Keep your eyes open if you like; nobody needs to see you do it.

For tension that sits in the shoulders, jaw or hands, our guide on how to release tension in your body has a 1-minute desk routine that pairs well with this.

4. Breathing exercise for anxiety at night

Stress often catches up with you in bed. This one is designed to make you less alert, not more:

1. Lie the way you usually fall asleep. Put one hand on your belly.
2. Breathe out a little longer than you breathe in, three times, without counting exactly.
3. Count your out-breaths down from ten. Each out-breath, one number. If you lose count, start again at ten.
4. When you reach one, stop counting and let the breath breathe itself.

If your mind keeps racing anyway, our guide for racing thoughts at night has a 4-minute wind-down and a plan for the evening.

Breathing exercises for anxiety and panic

The NHS describes its belly breathing as "a calming breathing technique for stress, anxiety and panic." When anxiety rises, a few things help:

• Skip long breath holds. Holding your breath can feel uncomfortable when you're anxious. A longer out-breath is gentler.
• Keep your eyes open and look around. Naming what you see or hear gives your attention something outside the body.
• Don't aim for a deep breath. Aim for a slow one. Big, fast breaths can make you lightheaded.
• Practice when you're calm. An exercise you know is much easier to find when you need it.

Some people also use this before a flight, a doctor's appointment or a presentation: a few minutes of slow belly breathing while you wait. For more ways to settle quickly, including grounding, see our guide on how to calm down fast.

Be honest about the limits. Breathing exercises can take the edge off a moment. They don't treat an anxiety disorder or panic disorder. If anxiety or panic attacks keep coming back, talk to a doctor. And if you're not sure whether what you feel is anxiety, for example with chest pain or trouble breathing you haven't had before, get medical help first.

Why breathing out longer calms you down

When you're stressed, your breath tends to get faster and higher in the chest. You can't switch stress off by deciding to, but you can slow your breath on purpose. Researchers describe a normal effect called respiratory sinus arrhythmia: breathing in speeds the heart up a little, breathing out slows it down. Exercises that lengthen the out-breath build on that.

What the research shows:

• A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials (785 participants) found that breathwork was linked to lower self-reported stress than control conditions, a small-to-medium effect. The studies had a moderate risk of bias overall, so the authors call for better research.
• In a small 2023 study, 5 minutes a day of an exhale-focused technique (cyclic sighing) improved mood more than mindfulness meditation over a month. Only 30 people were assigned to that technique, most of them students, so it's a promising lead, not proof.

Mistakes that make breathing exercises feel worse

• Breathing too hard. Slow and quiet beats big and deep.
• Forcing a count. If six counts out feels too long, use five. Comfort comes first.
• Trying it only in a crisis. A few minutes a day makes it available when you need it.
• Ignoring dizziness. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded or unwell, stop and return to your normal breathing.

Guided breathing sessions for stress

If you'd rather be talked through it, AI Meditation: Sleep & Calm has sessions built around slow breathing:

• Acute Stress SOS begins with the 4-6 breath, then a short grounding and one small next action, for moments when stress hits.
• Letting Go of Stress uses exhale-focused breathing, a sigh and small body check-ins for full days or before meetings.
• Overwhelm SOS: Becoming Steady Again combines orienting, contact with the ground and a longer out-breath for when everything is too much.
• Breathe Easy is for times when breathing feels hard, for example during a cold, with calm counted breathing and belly breathing. It isn't a treatment for any condition.

You can set how long a session lasts within its range, and the voices are AI voices. There's also a daily meditation written by AI after a short mood check-in. See how the app works, try it for free, no account needed.

When stress needs more than breathing

Breathing exercises are a good everyday tool, but they're not the whole answer. The NHS suggests seeing a GP if you're struggling to cope with stress, if the things you're trying yourself are not helping, or if you'd prefer a referral. It also suggests talking about your feelings with a friend, family member or health professional, and planning ahead for stressful days.

Sources

All pages accessed on September 25, 2026.

• NHS: Breathing exercises for stress (page last reviewed June 12, 2026). Belly breathing instructions, duration, regular practice.
• NHS: Stress (page last reviewed March 6, 2026). Self-help and when to see a GP.
• Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 2023. Effects on stress and anxiety, risk of bias.
• Balban MY, et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023. Exhale-focused breathing, heart rate and breathing, group sizes.