Breathing is one of the few tools you can use immediately to influence how your nervous system responds to stress. When anxiety rises, the body often shifts into a state of heightened alert – breathing becomes faster and shallower, muscles tense, and thoughts narrow. Intentional breathing works by gently interrupting that cycle.
The exercises below involve slowing and stabilizing the breath to support a calmer physiological state. They are designed to be practical and accessible, whether you are feeling mildly unsettled or noticeably overwhelmed. You do not need special equipment, extensive practice, or a perfectly quiet space – just a few moments of attention.
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This video demonstrates several breathing techniques that can help reduce anxiety.
You can learn more about box breathing and some variations in this video.
This video guides you through a straw breathing exercise that can help your nervous system rebalance itself in order to down-regulate or relax.
This video guides you through an 8-minute breathing exercise to facilitate calm.
You can learn more about breathing by following these links: