5 Breathing Exercises for Anxiety Relief

When anxiety strikes, your breath is your most accessible tool. These five evidence-based breathing exercises can activate your parasympathetic nervous system and bring you back to calm.

1. 4-7-8 Breathing

Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. This technique, developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, activates the vagus nerve and triggers the relaxation response. Start with 4 cycles.

2. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Used by Navy SEALs, this technique creates a steady rhythm that calms racing thoughts.

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe so only the belly hand moves. This engages the diaphragm and reduces shallow "chest breathing" associated with anxiety.

4. 5-5-5 Grounding Breath

Breathe in for 5 counts while noticing 5 things you can see. Breathe out for 5 counts while noticing 5 things you can feel. Combines sensory grounding with breath work.

5. Extended Exhale

Make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. Inhale for 3, exhale for 6. The extended exhale directly activates the calming branch of your nervous system.

HealFrame's Stabilize feature guides you through these exercises with real-time pacing and optional voice guidance.