Breathing Techniques and How To Practice Them

When we experience stress, our breathing often becomes faster, shallower, or more irregular as the body responds to a perceived threat through its natural “fight-or-flight” response. The good news is that intentional breathing can help counter these effects.

Having a variety of breathing exercises lets you adapt to any situation. You needn't master every technique. Try several and choose the most comfortable and useful. Start with these:

Deep Belly Breathing
Deep belly breathing can calm your body and mind, help relieve stress, promote relaxation, and prepare you for sleep.

How to practice: Sit or lie comfortably and place one hand on your belly. Breathe deeply through your nose. Hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly exhale through your mouth as your belly falls. Repeat for 5–10 breaths, relaxing a little more with each exhale.

Box Breathing (Square Breathing)
Box breathing is a simple technique you can use almost anywhere to manage stress, slow your heart rate, and encourage a calmer state.

How to practice: Imagine tracing the four sides of a box. Inhale through your nose for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and pause for another four counts. Repeat for several rounds, keeping your breathing slow and even.

4–7–8 Breathing
The 4–7–8 technique uses a longer exhale to encourage relaxation and help you wind down, making it especially useful before bedtime.

How to practice: Inhale through your nose for four counts, hold for seven, then slowly exhale through your mouth for eight. Repeat three to four times, focusing on a gentle, controlled exhale.

Diaphragmatic Breathing
Also called belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing encourages deeper breaths by engaging the diaphragm. It may help improve breathing efficiency and reduce physical tension.

How to practice: Place one hand on your chest and the other below your ribs. Inhale through your nose, allowing your belly to rise while keeping your chest relatively still. Slowly exhale through pursed lips as your belly lowers. Practice for 5–10 minutes.

Slowly practice these in your comfort. Regular practice can make controlled breathing a simple tool for pausing, refocusing, or relaxing.