The short answer
The best breathing exercise depends on what you want it for. Slow breathing with a long out-breath, such as resonance breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, suits stress, sleep and blood pressure. Pursed-lip breathing, blow as you go and leaning-forward positions help breathlessness. Each exercise below has steps, a breathe-along guide and its evidence grade.
On this page
Find an exercise
What do you want help with?
- Diaphragmatic breathing
Slow, low breathing into your tummy. Physiotherapists call it breathing control.
- Box breathing
Four equal steps: breathe in, hold, breathe out, hold. Also called square breathing.
- 4-7-8 breathing
A short in-breath, a long hold and a longer out-breath, often used in bed to wind down.
- Resonance breathing
Breathing at about six breaths a minute, the rate at which heart rhythm swings most with each breath. Also called coherent breathing.
- Cyclic sighing
Two breaths in through the nose, then a long, slow breath out through the mouth. Sometimes called the physiological sigh.
- Pursed-lip breathing
Breathing out slowly through lips shaped as if to whistle. It slows your breathing and eases breathlessness.
- Blow as you go
Breathing out during the hardest part of a movement, such as standing up, lifting or reaching.
- Paced breathing for stairs and walking
Matching your breathing to your steps so you do not get out of breath on stairs or hills.
- Positions to ease breathlessness
Leaning forward with your arms supported, which lets your breathing muscles work more easily.
- Active cycle of breathing (ACBT)
A set sequence of gentle breathing, deep breaths and huffs that moves phlegm up so you can cough it out.
- Alternate nostril breathing
A yoga breath (nadi shodhana) in which you close one nostril at a time and breathe in through one side and out through the other.
- Humming breath (bee breath)
Breathing in through your nose and humming as you breathe out. In yoga it is called bhramari.
- Buteyko breathing
A method for asthma built on breathing through your nose and breathing a little less, with short, relaxed pauses.
- Wim Hof breathing
Rounds of fast, deep breathing followed by a long breath-hold. It is part of the Wim Hof Method, with cold exposure and meditation.
- Inspiratory muscle training
Breathing in hard against a small handheld device that resists the in-breath, like weights for your breathing muscles.
Every rhythm compared
- Breathe in
- Hold, lungs full
- Breathe out
- Hold, lungs empty
- Diaphragmatic breathing6 a minBreathe in 4 seconds, Breathe out 6 seconds
- Box breathing3.8 a minBreathe in 4 seconds, Hold 4 seconds, Breathe out 4 seconds, Hold 4 seconds
- 4-7-8 breathing3.2 a minBreathe in 4 seconds, Hold 7 seconds, Breathe out, whoosh 8 seconds
- Resonance breathing6 a minBreathe in 5 seconds, Breathe out 5 seconds
- Cyclic sighing6.7 a minBreathe in 2 seconds, Sip in again 1 seconds, Long breath out 6 seconds
- Pursed-lip breathing10 a minBreathe in 2 seconds, Out through pursed lips 4 seconds
- Alternate nostril breathing7.5 a minIn, left nostril 4 seconds, Out, right nostril 4 seconds, In, right nostril 4 seconds, Out, left nostril 4 seconds
- Humming breath5 a minBreathe in 4 seconds, Hum out 8 seconds
Which breathing exercise should you start with?
Start with what you want help with, using the finder above. If you are not sure, begin with diaphragmatic breathing or resonance breathing. Both are gentle, slow and have no breath-holds, and most of the other calming exercises build on them.
The exercises fall into three groups:
- Calming exercises slow your breathing and lengthen the out-breath: diaphragmatic, resonance, box, 4-7-8, cyclic sighing, alternate nostril and humming breath.
- Exercises for breathlessness are the techniques NHS respiratory physiotherapists teach people with COPD, asthma and long COVID: pursed-lip breathing, blow as you go, paced breathing on stairs, positions that ease breathlessness and the active cycle of breathing for clearing phlegm.
- Training methods work on the breathing system over weeks: Buteyko breathing for asthma, inspiratory muscle training and the Wim Hof method.
How strong is the evidence for each exercise?
We grade each exercise on the studies behind its main use, using our four grades. The grade says how sure we can be, not how big the effect is.
| Exercise | Grade | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Resonance breathing | Moderate | Slow breathing at about six breaths a minute lowered blood pressure in a meta-analysis of 17 studies, and reliably raises heart rate variability. |
| Diaphragmatic breathing | Moderate | The core of breathing retraining, which improved quality of life in asthma trials. Small trials show less stress and better attention. |
| Pursed-lip breathing | Moderate | Improved walking distance in COPD trials and is a standard part of NHS pulmonary rehabilitation. |
| Active cycle of breathing | Moderate | A review of 24 studies found it clears more phlegm in the short term than most alternatives. NICE recommends it in COPD. |
| Buteyko breathing | Moderate | Small trials agree it reduces asthma symptoms and reliever use, but it does not change lung function. |
| Inspiratory muscle training | Moderate | Strengthens breathing muscles, improves breathlessness in COPD and endurance in sport, and lowered blood pressure in a small trial. |
| Box breathing | Weak | Improved mood in one month-long trial, but less than cyclic sighing. Popular, but barely studied on its own. |
| 4-7-8 breathing | Weak | Only small, short studies. No trial has tested it for sleep. |
| Cyclic sighing | Weak | One well-run trial found 5 minutes a day improved mood more than mindfulness. Not yet repeated. |
| Alternate nostril breathing | Weak | Small, mostly unblinded trials suggest it lowers blood pressure, but results vary widely. |
| Humming breath | Weak | Humming boosts nitric oxide in the nose 15-fold, but there are few trials of health outcomes. |
| Blow as you go | Weak | Standard physiotherapy advice for breathlessness, but it hasn’t been tested on its own in trials. |
| Paced breathing for stairs | Weak | Taught in pulmonary rehabilitation, with little trial evidence of its own. |
| Positions for breathlessness | Weak | Small physiology studies show leaning forward eases the work of breathing in COPD. |
| Wim Hof breathing | Weak | Small studies, mainly of inflammation in healthy young men. Real fainting and drowning risks. |
How often should you practise?
Most trials asked people to practise every day, typically for 5 to 20 minutes, for 4 to 12 weeks. Effects on blood pressure and stress build up with regular practice and fade if you stop. Calming exercises also work in the moment: a few minutes of slow breathing with a long out-breath can take the edge off stress before a difficult conversation or when you can’t sleep.
Techniques for breathlessness are different. You learn them when you are well, so they are automatic when you need them, and then use them during everyday activities.
What makes a good breathing exercise?
Almost every calming technique shares three features: it slows your breathing to well below the usual 12 to 20 breaths a minute, it makes the out-breath at least as long as the in-breath, and it keeps the breaths soft rather than big. Breathing deeply and fast does the opposite: it blows off carbon dioxide and can make you dizzy and tingly.
Are breathing exercises safe?
For most people, yes. Stop if you feel dizzy, tingly or light-headed and breathe normally. Never practise breath-holds or fast breathing in or near water, while driving, or standing where a faint could hurt you. If you are pregnant, or have epilepsy or a heart or lung condition, read who should take care first and check with your GP, nurse or physiotherapist.
In this section
- Diaphragmatic breathing: how to do it, step by step
How to do diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, the breathing control physiotherapists teach, with a breathe-along guide, common mistakes and the evidence.
Moderate - Box breathing: how to do it and does it work?
How to do box breathing (square breathing): in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4. Step-by-step instructions, a breathe-along guide and what the one trial found.
Weak - 4-7-8 breathing: how to do it, and does it help you sleep?
How to do 4-7-8 breathing for sleep and stress, step by step, with a breathe-along guide, tips if the counts feel too long, and what the research shows.
Weak - Resonance breathing (coherent breathing) at 6 breaths a minute
How to do resonance (coherent) breathing at six breaths a minute, with a breathe-along guide, and what trials show for blood pressure and stress.
Moderate - Cyclic sighing (the physiological sigh): how to do it
How to do cyclic sighing, the double in-breath and long out-breath that lifted mood more than mindfulness in a Stanford trial, with a breathe-along guide.
Weak - Pursed-lip breathing for breathlessness: step by step
How to do pursed-lip breathing to ease breathlessness in COPD and other lung conditions, with a breathe-along guide, when to use it and the evidence.
Moderate - Blow as you go: breathing out during effort
How to use the blow as you go technique to make everyday tasks like standing up, lifting and reaching less tiring when you get breathless, step by step.
Weak - Paced breathing for stairs and walking: step by step
How to time your breathing to your steps so stairs, hills and walking leave you less breathless, as taught in NHS pulmonary rehabilitation.
Weak - Positions to ease breathlessness: sitting, standing and lying
Five positions that ease breathlessness, from leaning forward on a table to resting against a wall, why they work, and when to get urgent help.
Weak - Active cycle of breathing (ACBT): how to clear phlegm
How to do the active cycle of breathing technique to clear phlegm in bronchiectasis and COPD: breathing control, deep breaths and huffs, step by step.
Moderate - Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana): how to do it
How to do alternate nostril breathing step by step, with a breathe-along guide, and what trials show about its effects on blood pressure and stress.
Weak - Humming breath (bee breath): how to do it, step by step
How to do humming breath, the yoga bee breath, with a breathe-along guide, and why humming lengthens your out-breath and raises nitric oxide in your nose.
Weak - Buteyko breathing for asthma: how it works and what trials show
How the Buteyko method works for asthma, with the control pause and reduced breathing explained, and what trials show about symptoms and inhalers.
Moderate - Wim Hof breathing: how it works, the evidence and the risks
What the Wim Hof breathing method involves, what studies show about inflammation and fitness, and why it must never be done in or near water.
Weak - Inspiratory muscle training: breathing training with a device
How inspiratory muscle training works, how to do it with a handheld trainer, and what trials show for breathlessness in COPD, sport and blood pressure.
Moderate
Common questions
Which breathing exercise is best for beginners?
Diaphragmatic breathing (breathing control) or resonance breathing. Both are gentle, have no breath-holds and suit almost everyone. Start with 3 to 5 minutes, sitting comfortably, and build up to 10 minutes a day.
How often should you do breathing exercises?
Most trials used daily practice, usually 5 to 20 minutes a day, for several weeks. For in-the-moment calm, a few minutes when you need it is enough. Techniques for breathlessness, such as pursed-lip breathing, are used whenever you need them.
Do breathing exercises really work?
For some things, yes. There is moderate evidence that they ease stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure a little and improve quality of life in asthma and COPD. Other claims, such as fixing hot flushes or boosting immunity, have weak or no good evidence.
Can breathing exercises be harmful?
For most people they are very safe. Fast breathing and long breath-holds can cause dizziness or fainting, so never practise them in water, while driving or standing. Take care if you are pregnant or have epilepsy or a heart or lung condition.
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
- Santino TA et al. Breathing exercises for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Holland AE et al. Breathing exercises for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Chaddha A et al. Device and non-device-guided slow breathing to reduce blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2019.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NHS. Breathing exercises for stress.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.