Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during panic — what to try first, when you are cold and want to be warm
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
Start here
None of this is glamorous. All of it is doable, which matters more.
Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point.
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 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.
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.
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".
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.
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