Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during panic — what works and what does not, when the house is busy
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
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None of this is glamorous. All of it is doable, which matters more.
It works with other people in the house. You do not need silence.
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
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".
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
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.
Count out loud if you can. Speaking forces a slower, more normal breathing pattern than thinking does.
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 Tired eyes after a long day of screens — the basics, done properly, when you feel fine and want to stay that way, A wind-down that starts before you are tired — a short, honest guide, if you are sceptical about all of this or Using your body to come down after something stressful — a straightforward guide, if you are doing this instead of scrolling.