Guide · anxiety · 3 min read
Breathing exercises that help during panic, without the usual nonsense, when you feel fine and want to stay that way
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
Start here
Six things, in the order that makes the most difference. The first two do most of the work.
Feeling fine is a good reason to do this, not a reason to skip it.
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.
Count out loud if you can. Speaking forces a slower, more normal breathing pattern than thinking does.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Written for people who want the practical version. No accounts, no tracking, no newsletter wall.
If this is not the angle you need, try What to do when everything is too much, in plain terms, when you only have a few minutes, Preparing for a conversation you are dreading — the basics, done properly, when you are too tired to try hard or What to do when everything is too much, without the usual advice, after eating too much.