The short answer
Breathing exercises may lift low mood a little. A 2023 review of randomised trials found breathwork reduced symptoms of depression by a small to moderate amount, but most studies were small and at risk of bias. They can be a helpful extra, but not a replacement for talking therapy, medicines or other support.
Weak evidence
Small or short studies, surveys, or results that are mixed. How we grade
On this page
How breathing might help mood
Low mood and depression often come with tension, worry and poor sleep. Slow breathing with a long out-breath can ease the tension and the racing thoughts, at least for a while, and gives you something simple to do when other things feel hard. Some people find a few minutes of breathing a manageable first step back towards other activities that help mood, such as getting outside or moving more.
Breathing exercises won’t lift depression on their own. But they are free, quick and safe, and some people find them a useful part of looking after themselves.
Exercises to try
- Cyclic sighing: five minutes a day lifted positive mood in a month-long trial.
- Resonance breathing: slow and steady, with the breathe-along guide to follow.
- Diaphragmatic breathing: a gentle, low breath that suits most people.
If focusing on your breathing makes you feel worse or more anxious, stop. It doesn’t suit everyone, and that is fine.
What the research shows
A 2023 meta-analysis pooled randomised trials of breathwork and found it reduced symptoms of depression by a small to moderate amount compared with control groups, similar to its effects on stress and anxiety. But many of the trials were small and the reviewers judged most to be at moderate or high risk of bias, partly because people always know whether they are doing a breathing exercise.
In the Stanford trial of 108 people, all three breathing exercises and mindfulness meditation improved mood over a month, and cyclic sighing raised positive mood the most. The people in that trial were healthy volunteers, not people with diagnosed depression.
Some yoga breathing programmes have been tested in people with depression, mostly in small trials. Overall we grade the evidence as weak: encouraging, but not strong enough to recommend breathing exercises as a treatment for depression.
Getting help for depression
If you have felt low, hopeless or lost interest in things for most days for two weeks or more, talk to your GP. Treatments with good evidence include talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, and antidepressants, and in England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies.
If you are thinking about harming yourself or ending your life, get help now: call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night, or contact NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
Keep reading
- Breathing exercises for sport and fitness: what helps
Which breathing methods can improve sport and fitness, what trials of breathing muscle training show, and why most breathing claims in sport lack evidence.
Moderate - Breathing exercises for pain: what the evidence shows
Whether slow breathing can ease short-term and long-term pain, what the trials found, how to use breathing when you are in pain, and when to see a doctor.
Weak - Breathing exercises for hot flushes: what the trials found
Paced breathing was once widely advised for menopause hot flushes. What the largest trial found, why experts now advise against it, and what helps.
None
Common questions
Can breathing exercises help depression?
They may help a little, especially with the anxiety and tension that often come with depression. The trials are small, so we can't be sure how much. If you have depression, breathing exercises are best used alongside treatment from your GP, not instead of it.
Which breathing exercise is best for low mood?
There is no clear winner. In a month-long trial, five minutes a day of cyclic sighing raised positive mood more than mindfulness meditation. Slow breathing with a long out-breath, such as resonance or diaphragmatic breathing, is a gentle place to start.
What should I do if I feel hopeless or think about ending my life?
Get help now. Call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, contact NHS 111, or ask for an urgent GP appointment. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.
References
- Fincham GW et al. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 2023.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Balban MY et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Zaccaro A et al. How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NHS. Clinical depression: treatment.nhs.uk
First published 4 November 2026. Next review due November 2027. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.