When a day gets tense, the breath often changes before you notice. It moves up into the chest, gets quicker, and the out-breath gets cut short. You cannot always change the day, but you can change how you breathe for a few minutes. The exercises below are simple, need no equipment and work at a desk or in bed. They are gentle on purpose: none of them asks you to breathe hard or hold your breath for long.
First exercise: notice the breath
This is the base for the other two, and it is useful on its own. Sit with your back supported and your feet on the floor, or lie down with a cushion under your head. Rest one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe through your nose if that is comfortable, and do not try to change anything.
For one to three minutes, just watch. Notice where the breath moves most, whether the in-breath or the out-breath is longer, and whether there is a small pause at the end of each one. When your mind drifts to your list of things to do, notice that and come back to the next breath. Getting distracted is not a mistake. Coming back is the exercise.
Second exercise: the longer exhale
Many people find that letting the out-breath last a little longer than the in-breath feels settling. Start with a few rounds of simply noticing, then begin to count. Breathe in through the nose for a count of 3, then breathe out slowly for a count of 4 or 5, either through the nose or through softly pursed lips, as if cooling a spoonful of soup.
Keep it easy. If the longer exhale leaves you feeling short of air, go back to equal counts and try again another day. After 5 to 10 rounds, stop counting and breathe normally for a minute before you get up. In short:
- Breathe in through the nose for 3.
- Breathe out slowly for 4 or 5.
- Repeat 5 to 10 times, with no pause between breaths.
- Finish with a minute of normal breathing.
Third exercise: gentle box breathing
Box breathing has four equal sides: breathe in, pause, breathe out, pause. You may have seen versions with long counts and long holds. Here it stays short and soft, with a count of 3 or 4 and pauses that feel easy. If the pauses make you tense, shorten them or leave them out altogether.
It can help to trace a square with your eyes, or with a finger on the table, one side for each step. Do 4 to 6 rounds, then go back to normal breathing. Counting gives a busy mind something simple to hold on to. Each round looks like this:
- Breathe in through the nose for 3 or 4.
- Pause gently for 3 or 4, without tightening your throat.
- Breathe out for 3 or 4.
- Pause gently for 3 or 4, then start the next round.
When to use each one
Noticing the breath works almost anywhere and with your eyes open: in a queue, before answering a difficult email, while the kettle boils. It is the one to choose whenever you are unsure, because it asks nothing of you.
The longer exhale suits the end of the day, the minutes before sleep or the time after a tense conversation, when you want to wind down. Box breathing suits moments when you need to stay alert but steadier, for example before a meeting or a phone call, since the counting keeps your attention in one place. Try each one on an ordinary day first, so you know how it feels before you need it.
Keep it safe
Breathing exercises should feel calm. Stop if you feel dizzy, light-headed, tingling in your hands or face, or short of air: breathe normally and sit or lie down until it passes. Never practise them while driving, swimming, in the bath or anywhere in water. Avoid long breath holds. The pauses in box breathing should stay short and comfortable.
If you are pregnant, or have a heart, lung or blood pressure condition, ask your doctor before you start. The same goes for epilepsy or any condition a doctor is treating. These exercises are a way to relax, not a treatment, and they do not replace care from a health professional. If stress feels like more than you can manage, talk to your doctor.
Takeaway. Start by noticing your breath, then use the longer exhale or gentle box breathing when you need them, always at an easy pace. If you would like to go further, our Breathwork Essentials class teaches these and other everyday breathing skills step by step.
This article is general wellbeing education, not medical advice. Read the health disclaimer.
