Breathing exercises that help during panic — a calm, practical approach, when you feel restless rather than tired

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A short explanation first, because knowing why makes the doing easier.

Restless is different from tired, and it needs a different approach.

If you only do one thing from this page, do the first point below. It is first because it removes the most friction for the least effort.

Make the out-breath longer than the in-breath. Four in, six or eight out is enough. The exhale is the part that shifts things.

Cool your face. Cold water on the wrists and the back of the neck is a physical signal that has nothing to do with thinking your way out.

A physiological sigh — one inhale, a second short sip of air on top, then a long release through the mouth — often works in one or two rounds.

Do not wait until the peak to practise. Doing four rounds on a normal afternoon is what makes it available at the peak.

Count out loud if you can. Speaking forces a slower, more normal breathing pattern than thinking does.

Do not try to take a big breath in. During panic you are often already over-breathing, and a deep inhale can make the dizziness worse.

Stop and breathe normally. Dizziness during breathing exercises usually means you are breathing too hard or holding too long.

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