Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during panic, in the order that helps, when you are too tired to try hard
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
Start here
Here is what tends to work, in the order that helps most.
Too tired to try hard is exactly the right amount of tired for this.
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
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.
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.
What to do when it does not work
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.
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.
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".
Questions people ask
Does this replace treatment?
No. Breathing exercises are a coping tool. Panic disorder responds well to CBT and, in some cases, medication. Talk to a professional.
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.
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