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4 Breathing Exercises for Anxiety, Stress & Emotional Regulation

When anxiety or stress shows up, breathing is often the first thing that changes: it gets shallow and moves up into the chest. That shift is part of the body's stress response, and it can make whatever you're feeling — anxiety, overwhelm, frustration, a racing mind — feel even bigger than it already is. The techniques below all work in the other direction: each one, in its own way, signals to your nervous system that it's safe to slow down. They're useful for anxiety and stress in the moment, and, practiced regularly, for building a stronger general capacity for emotional regulation over time. None of them is "the right one" — try a few and notice which fits you best in which moment.

Slowing down and turning your attention to your breath.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing — sometimes called belly breathing — means breathing low, using the diaphragm (the muscle beneath your lungs), rather than the shallow chest breathing anxiety tends to produce. Sit or lie down somewhere reasonably comfortable, and loosen anything tight around your stomach before you begin.

Follow the visual guide, or move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

  1. 1

    Sit comfortably and relax your shoulders.

  2. 2

    Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, just below your ribs.

  3. 3

    Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds — the belly hand rises, the chest hand stays still.

  4. 4

    Exhale gently through pursed lips for 6 seconds, letting the belly fall.

Woman sitting comfortably with her hands relaxed and her shoulders soft, preparing to practice diaphragmatic breathing. Woman placing one hand on her chest and the other on her belly, just below her ribs. Woman inhaling slowly through her nose, her belly hand moving outward while her chest hand stays still. Woman exhaling gently through pursed lips, her belly hand moving inward while her chest hand stays still.
INHALE • 4 SECONDS
EXHALE • 6 SECONDS
4

It's normal for this to feel awkward the first few times, especially if you're used to breathing high in your chest. That gets easier with practice, and it's a good one to build as a short daily habit, not only for moments of anxiety.

2. Box (Square) Breathing

Box breathing uses four equal counts to create a steady, predictable rhythm. Follow the square with your eyes, or trace each side with your finger as you go — it's used by everyone from athletes to first responders to steady themselves before something demanding.

Follow the visual guide, or move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

  1. 1

    Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four while tracing upward.

  2. 2

    Hold gently for four while tracing across the top.

  3. 3

    Breathe out slowly through pursed lips for four while tracing downward.

  4. 4

    Hold gently for four while tracing across the bottom.

Woman tracing upward along the left side of a square while inhaling through her nose. Woman tracing across the top of the square, left to right, while holding her breath gently. Woman tracing downward along the right side of the square while exhaling through pursed lips. Woman tracing across the bottom of the square, right to left, while holding her breath gently.
INHALE • 4 SECONDS
HOLD • 4 SECONDS
EXHALE • 4 SECONDS
HOLD • 4 SECONDS
4

If holding your breath feels uncomfortable, shorten the counts or skip the holds entirely — don't force your breathing. The steadiness of the rhythm matters more than the exact count.

3. Finger-Tracing Breathing

Pair your breathing with the movement of your finger. Slowly trace upward as you breathe in and downward as you breathe out — this is a particularly good one to teach children and teens, since it gives them something concrete to do with their hands.

Follow the visual guide, or move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

  1. 1

    Hold one hand open with your fingers comfortably spread.

  2. 2

    Place the index finger of your other hand at the base of your thumb.

  3. 3

    Trace upward as you breathe in through your nose.

  4. 4

    Trace downward as you breathe out slowly through pursed lips.

  5. 5

    Continue around each finger until you reach the outside of your pinky.

Let your breathing remain comfortable. You do not need to force the timing or take unusually deep breaths.

Tracing up the outside of the thumb while inhaling through the nose. Tracing down the inside of the thumb while exhaling through pursed lips. Tracing up the index finger while inhaling through the nose. Tracing down the index finger while exhaling through pursed lips. Tracing up the middle finger while inhaling through the nose. Tracing down the middle finger while exhaling through pursed lips. Tracing up the ring finger while inhaling through the nose. Tracing down the ring finger while exhaling through pursed lips. Tracing up the pinky while inhaling through the nose. Tracing down the pinky while exhaling through pursed lips.
INHALE
EXHALE
Thumb Index Middle Ring Pinky

4. Mindful Breathing

Mindful breathing is less structured than the other three: instead of counting, you gently slow your breathing down and bring your full attention to it, noticing it as it happens. It's drawn from mindfulness-based practice.

  1. 1

    Get into whatever position feels right — sitting, lying down, or standing. There's no requirement to sit still for this one.

  2. 2

    Really slow your breathing down, well below your usual pace. Don't force it or strain for a particular rhythm — just unhurried and slow.

  3. 3

    Bring your full attention to where you feel the air most clearly — your nostrils, your chest, or your belly.

  4. 4

    Notice the air as it enters: is it cool? Notice it move through you, and notice it as it leaves, slightly warmer. Notice your chest or belly rise and fall with each cycle.

  5. 5

    When your mind wanders (it will — that's normal), just gently bring your attention back to your slow breathing, without judging yourself for drifting.

  6. 6

    Continue for a minute or two, or longer if it feels good.

A therapist sits comfortably with her eyes closed while cool air enters through her nose, warmer air leaves, and attention moves gently from her breath to her chest and belly.

Mindful breathing tends to feel less "active" than the others, which some people find more calming and others find harder to stick with at first — both reactions are normal.

Which one should you use?

Honestly, that's individual — which technique feels most accessible in a given moment varies from person to person, and even from moment to moment for the same person. What matters more than picking "the right one" is practicing these skills regularly, when you're calm, not just saving them for when anxiety or stress is already high. When the body is highly activated, it's harder to reach for anything effortful or unfamiliar; a technique you've practiced many times when calm is far easier to access under pressure than one you're trying for the first time in the middle of a spike. None of these is about making anxiety or stress disappear instantly — they're tools for making it more manageable while you work on the bigger picture, and the best way to find out which ones work for you is to try them when things are calm and see what sticks.

This blog post is general, educational information — it is not a diagnosis or a treatment. If anxiety is getting in the way of your day-to-day life, talking with a professional can help you understand what's behind it and build a plan made for you. If you are in immediate danger, call 911; for 24/7 crisis support in Canada, call or text 9-8-8.

Want to go deeper than a technique?

If these techniques help but you feel like you need more, I'd be glad to talk. I offer online individual and couples therapy, in English and Spanish, across the province of Ontario.

Book a consultation