Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during stress
When you're feeling overwhelmed, deep breaths might not be the answer. Instead, try a longer exhale and a simple counting method.
Start here
The order matters less than doing the first one tonight. Start there and come back to the rest.
It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas.
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.
What helps
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.
Put one hand on your ribs and one on your belly so you can feel which one is moving. This gives your attention a job that is not "am I dying".
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.
What to do when it does not work
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.
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.
Questions people ask
What if I feel more dizzy?
Stop and breathe normally. Dizziness during breathing exercises usually means you are breathing too hard or holding too long.
Written for people who want the practical version. No accounts, no tracking, no newsletter wall.
If this is not the angle you need, try When to be careful with breathing exercises for stress relief, How to focus on work when you're feeling overwhelmed or When to drink coffee so it does not ruin your.