5 Breathing Techniques to Calm Anxiety in Minutes

When anxiety hits, it feels like the world is collapsing. Your heart races, your thoughts spiral out of control, and your breathing becomes short and shallow. In these moments, the key to regaining control may lie in one of our body’s most basic functions: breathing. Using your breath consciously is a powerful, discreet, and free tool to calm your nervous system.

The science behind it is simple. Anxiety activates our sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” state. Deep breathing techniques stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming us down and “slowing” us. By changing your breathing pattern, you send a direct signal to your brain that it is safe to relax.

1. Box Breathing
A clear and structured technique, ideal for moments of acute stress or for improving concentration.

• How to do it: Sit comfortably with your back straight. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4. Hold the air in your lungs for a count of 4. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4. Hold your lungs empty for a count of 4. Repeat the cycle for 5 to 10 breaths.

2. 4-7-8 Breathing
Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, this technique is extremely effective for inducing relaxation quickly, especially before sleep.

• How to do it: Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, behind your front teeth. Exhale completely through your mouth. Close your mouth and inhale silently through your nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a “whoosh” sound, for a count of 8. Repeat 4 times.

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
The foundation of all deep breathing techniques. It ensures you are using your lungs’ full capacity.

• How to do it: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to expand (the hand on your chest should move very little). Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly contract. Focus on making the exhalation longer than the inhalation.

4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
A yoga technique that promotes balance, mental clarity, and calms a restless mind.

• How to do it: Sit comfortably. With your right thumb, close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your right nostril. Exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril, close it, and exhale through your left nostril. This is one cycle. Repeat for 5 to 10 cycles.

5. Pursed-Lip Breathing
Simple and very effective for slowing down breathing and relieving shortness of breath.

• How to do it: Inhale slowly through your nose for two seconds. Pucker your lips as if you were going to whistle or blow through a straw. Exhale gently and slowly through pursed lips for four seconds or more.

Practice is the secret. Don’t wait for an anxiety attack to try these techniques. Set aside a minute or two each day in a quiet moment to practice them. This way, when anxiety arises, your body and mind will already know the path back to calm. If anxiety is persistent and significantly interferes with your life, remember that these techniques are a valuable complement, but they do not replace the evaluation and follow-up with a psychologist or psychiatrist.