When you are feeling anxiety, try diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, and the 4-7-8 method. Breathing is one of the few autonomic functions you can consciously control while you are anxious.
A 2017 review published in Frontiers in Psychology confirmed that slow, controlled breathing significantly reduces subjective stress and anxiety. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises to stop panic and anxiety are especially effective because belly breathing engages the lower lungs and maximizes oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange, which is exactly what shallow, anxious chest breathing prevents.
10 Deep Breathing Exercises to Try When Anxiety Hits
Some of these exercises are better for acute anxiety attacks. Others are more suited to daily mindful breathing practice for long-term anxiety management.
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
Diaphragmatic breathing means you are engaging your diaphragm fully rather than breathing with just the upper chest. It directly counters the shallow breathing pattern that worsens anxiety symptoms.
How to do it?
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Inhale gently through your nose for a count of four.
Exhale slowly through your mouth.
Repeat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)
Box breathing is used by Navy SEALs, surgeons, and athletes in high-pressure situations. The equal-interval structure gives your mind something concrete to hold onto when anxious thoughts are spiraling.
How to do it?
Inhale slowly for 4 counts.
Hold your breath for 4 counts.
Exhale completely for 4 counts.
Hold empty for 4 counts. Repeat 4 to 6 rounds.
4-7-8 Breathing
The 4-7-8 pattern is one of the most frequently recommended calming breathing exercises for anxiety because the extended exhale actively suppresses sympathetic nervous system activity. Many people also use it to fall asleep after an anxious episode.
How to do it?
Exhale completely through your mouth to start.
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold your breath for 7 counts.
Exhale through your mouth.
Repeat 4 cycles.
Cyclic Sighing (Physiological Sigh)
It is a double inhale followed by a long exhale. Longer exhalations stimulate the vagus nerve, triggering the "rest and digest" response. It eventually helps in lowering the heart rate and gives immediate relief.
How to do it?
Take a normal inhale.
At the top of the inhale, sniff in a short second breath to fully fill up your lungs with air.
Release a long, slow exhale through your mouth until the lungs are empty.
Repeat continuously for 3 to 5 minutes.
Resonance breathing
Resonance breathing targets a breathing rate of around six breaths per minute, which is the rate at which heart rate variability (HRV) peaks for most adults. High HRV is strongly associated with lower anxiety, better emotional regulation, and resilience. This is one of the best mindful breathing exercises for anxiety because it trains the nervous system over time rather than just calming a single episode. It helps you live a normal life with anxiety.
How to do it?
Inhale for 5 counts through your nose.
Exhale for 5 counts through your nose or mouth.
Continue for 10 to 20 minutes daily for best long-term results.
Extended Exhale Breathing
If you are struggling with box breathing or the 4-7-8 breathing technique, you can try the extended exhale technique. You simply make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. This is a genuinely accessible entry point for people new to breathing exercises for anxiety and depression.
How to do it?
Inhale for 4 counts through your nose.
Exhale for 8 counts through your mouth or nose.
Repeat for 5 minutes, or until you feel settled.
This works well as a starting exercise for children and teenagers dealing with anxiety because the steps are simple to follow.
Pursed Lip Breathing
Pursed lip breathing is commonly taught in pulmonary rehabilitation, but you can use it when you feel anxious. Exhaling through pursed lips naturally slows your breathing rate, keeps airways open longer, and reduces the short, rapid breaths.
It is useful for people who also deal with tightness in the chest when anxious.
How to do it?
Relax your shoulders and neck.
Breathe in slowly through your nose for 2 counts.
Purse your lips as if you are going to whistle.
Breathe out gently through your pursed lips for 4 to 6 counts.
Mindful Body Scan with Breath Anchoring
This is less of a pure breathing technique and more of a mindful breathing exercise for anxiety. It combines conscious breathing with a slow sweep of body awareness, which pulls the mind out of anxious rumination and back into the present moment.
It is especially helpful for people who suffer from health anxiety and chronic worry.
How to do it?
Begin with 3 slow diaphragmatic breaths to settle.
Close your eyes. On your next inhale, bring attention to the sensation at your nostrils, chest, and belly as the breath enters.
As you exhale, mentally scan from the top of your head down to your feet.
With each breath, let the exhale release the area you are scanning.
Coherent breathing
When you are feeling anxious, you tend to breathe shallow. Coherent breathing helps you reverse that.
It activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “calm” system).
Helps lower heart rate and stress hormones over time.
Improves heart rate.
Simple way to try it:
Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds
Exhale slowly for 5 seconds
Keep it smooth, not forced
Do it for 5 to 10 minutes
Humming Breath
Humming while you exhale is not as unusual as it sounds. The vibration created by humming stimulates the vagus nerve directly and triggers a relaxation response that most people feel within a single breath. It is one of the most genuinely effective calming breathing exercises for anxiety.
How to do it?
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 to 5 counts.
As you exhale, gently hum in a steady, low tone, feeling the vibration in your chest and throat.
Repeat 6 to 8 rounds.
Find an Anxiety Therapist Near You
Breathing techniques are a powerful first step, but persistent anxiety deserves more than a workaround. The clinical team at Boston Neurobehavioral Associates can help you manage anxiety with proven therapy.
If you are searching for an anxiety therapist who truly understands what you are going through, our specialists are here. Our therapists for anxiety are trained in CBT, mindfulness integration, and somatic approaches that pair directly with the breathwork techniques in this guide.
Contact us today and get an appointment for anxiety treatment.