Slow exhale breathing

Breathe out for longer than you breathe in, for two minutes. One of the better-supported quick resets, though the effect is modest.

• Evidence: Some
• Takes: 2 minutes

How to do it

1. Sit or stand however you are. You don’t need to close your eyes or find a quiet room.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of about 4. Don’t force a huge breath.
3. Breathe out slowly for a count of about 6 to 8. Through your mouth or nose, whichever feels easier. Let the exhale be longer than the inhale. That is the whole point.
4. Keep going for 2 minutes. That works out at roughly 5 to 6 breaths a minute, well under the 10 a minute that researchers count as slow breathing [3].
5. Notice how you feel, then carry on with your day.

A variation: the double inhale. Breathe in through your nose, then take a second, shorter sip of air on top to fill your lungs. Then breathe out slowly and fully. This is the “cyclic sighing” pattern tested in the trial below [2].

If counting makes you more tense, drop it. Just make each out-breath a little slower than the in-breath.

If you feel light-headed, you’re breathing too deeply. Take smaller breaths, or stop and breathe normally.

When to use it

• Just before something you’re nervous about: a meeting, a phone call, a hard conversation.
• When you notice your shoulders are up or your jaw is tight.
• After something annoying happens and you want to reply calmly rather than fast.
• When you lie awake with a busy head. For more on sleep, see sleepgood.now.

It’s less useful when the problem needs action. Breathing can take the edge off a worry, but it won’t answer the email.

Evidence

A 2023 meta-analysis pooled 12 randomized trials with 785 adults. Breathwork lowered self-reported stress by a small-to-medium amount compared with control groups. Effects on anxiety were similar. The authors noted most studies had a moderate risk of bias and warned against hype [1].

In a month-long remote trial, people did 5 minutes a day of one of three breathing exercises or mindfulness meditation. Breathing with long exhales (cyclic sighing) improved mood more than meditation and lowered breathing rate at rest [2]. This was one trial, done online, with people using wearable trackers, so treat it as promising rather than settled.

A systematic review of 15 studies in healthy people found slow breathing linked to more relaxation and alertness and less anxiety, along with changes in heart rate variability. Most of those studies were small [3].

Rated Some. Several randomized trials point the same way, but they are mostly small, the effects are modest, and few compare slow breathing with a convincing placebo.

Topics: Breathing, Stress, Nerves, Calm

Sources checked 4 October 2026. Spot a mistake? Tell us.