Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during panic — the long answer, briefly, when the weather has kept you inside
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
Start here
This is not complicated. It is inconvenient, which is why most people skip it.
Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do 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
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.
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.
What to do when it does not work
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.
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".
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.
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.
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