Breathing Exercises to Calm Down: 4 Techniques That Really Work

Breathing to calm down: yes, but not just any old way

“Just breathe!”

Particularly irritating advice when you’re stressed.

And technically fairly useless: unless proven otherwise, you’d already started.

The real question is how to breathe.

Breathing holds a special place in our physiology: it runs automatically, but we can also change it on purpose.

Deliberately changing your breathing rhythm therefore lets you influence certain parameters linked to the autonomic nervous system, heart rate and heart rate variability.

A large meta-analysis covering more than 200 studies concluded that voluntary slow breathing increased several heart rate variability indices associated with parasympathetic regulation, during practice but also in some measurements taken afterwards. (PubMed)

Here are four methods that are especially easy to use.

The physiological sigh: the express fire extinguisher

The physiological sigh consists of:

• one inhale through the nose;
• a second short inhale immediately after;
• then a long exhale.

Roughly speaking:

inhale + mini-inhale + looooong exhale.

The second inhale helps recruit more of the lung’s alveoli, while the extended exhale encourages a quick drop in respiratory activation.

How to do it

• Breathe in calmly through your nose.
• Immediately add a second short inhale.
• Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
• Repeat one to three times.

It’s particularly useful during acute stress:

• before an appointment;
• after an argument;
• before speaking in public;
• when tension is rising fast.

A word of caution: there’s no need to chain fifty sighs together like a blacksmith’s bellows.

A few cycles are usually enough.

4-7-8 breathing: slowing down on purpose

4-7-8 breathing, popularized by Andrew Weil among others, follows a very simple rhythm:

• breathe in for 4 seconds;
• hold for 7 seconds;
• breathe out for 8 seconds.

That long exhale turns the exercise into a tool for slowing down.

Who is it for?

It mostly suits people who like counting and want a structured technique before sleep or when it’s time to unwind.

How to use it

Settle in, sitting or lying down.

Breathe in for 4.

Hold the air for 7.

Breathe out gently for 8.

Do about four cycles to start with.

That seven-second hold can feel unpleasant for some people, though.

If so, don’t force it.

A relaxing breath isn’t supposed to feel like a breath-hold challenge on Survivor.

Box breathing: the ultra-simple method

Square breathing, or box breathing, uses four identical phases:

• 4 seconds breathing in;
• 4 seconds holding;
• 4 seconds breathing out;
• 4 seconds with empty lungs.

Then you start again.

Picture a square in your mind.

Each side matches one phase.

This method keeps your attention busy enough to leave less room for intrusive thoughts.

It can come in handy:

• before a presentation;
• on public transport;
• before a competition;
• during a work break;
• when you want to get your focus back.

The four seconds aren’t sacred.

You can use three seconds if four makes you uncomfortable.

365 cardiac coherence: the long-game method

The 365 method has become hugely popular in France:

• 3 times a day;
• 6 breaths per minute;
• 5 minutes.

At six breaths per minute, one cycle lasts ten seconds.

For example:

• 5 seconds breathing in;
• 5 seconds breathing out.

This rhythm sits around 0.1 Hz, the frequency at which the interactions between breathing, heart rhythm and the baroreflex can become especially pronounced in many people.

Research on slow breathing at around six cycles per minute shows an increase in heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity. (PubMed)

Cardiac coherence is particularly well suited to chronic stress, because it’s used as regular training rather than just an emergency fire extinguisher.

An easy routine:

• 8:30 a.m.;
• 1:00 p.m.;
• 6:00 p.m.

Five minutes each time.

Which breathing technique for which situation?

Sudden stress: physiological sigh.

Need to focus: box breathing.

Unwinding before sleep: 4-7-8 breathing, if it feels comfortable.

Everyday stress management: 365 cardiac coherence.

And above all: stay comfortable.

Precautions

Breathing exercises should never cause a feeling of suffocation, chest pain or faintness.

Deliberately breathing too fast or too deeply can trigger hyperventilation, with dizziness, tingling or a light-headed feeling.

People with a respiratory or cardiovascular condition, pregnant women, or anyone who finds breath holds uncomfortable should favor gentle breathing and ask a health professional for advice when needed.

And if you have chest pain, respiratory distress or significant unusual symptoms, obviously a breathing app is not how you solve the problem.