Health Mind & Mood 8 Mindfulness Breathing Exercises You Can Do Anywhere, Anytime We inhale and exhale all day, every day, without thinking about it—but when we cultivate awareness of our breath, something truly transformative can happen. By Maggie Seaver Maggie Seaver Maggie Seaver is the digital health and wellness editor at Real Simple, with seven years of experience writing lifestyle and wellness content. She spends her days writing and editing stories about sleep, mental health, fitness, preventive health, nutrition, personal development, relationships, healthy habits, and beyond. She loves demystifying complicated health topics, debunking wellness fads, and sharing practical, science-backed solutions for healthy living. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 21, 2024 Reviewed by Samina Ahmed Jauregui, PsyD Reviewed by Samina Ahmed Jauregui, PsyD Samina Ahmed Jauregui is a specialty trained sleep psychologist with expertise in non-pharmaceutical, behavioral treatment of sleep disorders. Other areas of mental health expertise include chronic illness management, pain management, and mood and anxiety difficulties that impact physical health and wellness. Dr. Ahmed has five years of experience in the field of sleep psychology. Learn More Fact checked by Danielle Slauter Fact checked by Danielle Slauter Highlights: * Has worked as a fact checker for Real Simple since 2022 * Worked as a staff writer for Mochi Magazine * Currently runs and operates the United States blog for Student Beans Our Fact-Checking Process Close Photo: Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong Attention to the breath—and intention for the breath—is a fundamental facet of mindfulness, the practice of cultivating non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. Mindful breathing techniques can be used to moor you to the present, influence your thoughts and emotions, and promote both mental and physiological calm, says Jamie Price, a wellness expert who has developed such meditation apps as MyLife and Stop, Breathe & Think. Different types of breathing techniques have been linked to numerous health benefits, from reducing levels of oxidative stress (which can damage cells and regulating negative emotions to easing anxiety and improving cardiovascular function. "The breath is such a great anchor [to the present] because it's with you and happening naturally all the time," Price explains. "If you get in the habit of using your breath as an anchor, and become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, you can stop them before they gain momentum in a way that contributes to stress or anxiety." Breathing exercises are an accessible entry point into mindfulness, because you already know how to inhale and exhale. Now, learn how to observe your breath, pay attention to it, return to it, and eventually gain better control over it to unlock its remarkable power. Start with these eight mindfulness breathing techniques. Amishi Jha, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology and director of contemplative neuroscience for the UMindfulness initiative at the University of Miami. Jasmine Marie, breathwork practitioner, founder of the organization Black Girls Breathing, and author of the book Black Girls Breathing: Heal from Trauma, Combat Chronic Stress, and Find Your Freedom, out in December 2024. Jamie Price, wellness expert and developer of such meditation apps as MyLife and Stop, Breathe & Think. 01 of 08 Mindful Breathing "A very common foundational practice [that] every mindfulness training program has is mindfulness of breathing—simply observing your breath," says Amishi Jha, PhD, associate professor at the University of Miami. This type of exercise doesn't involve manipulating or forcing your breath. It's just about being aware of it as it occurs naturally, which may sound simple, but isn't always easy to do. Begin by breathing normally, focusing on each inhale and exhale as it comes. You may find it helpful to home in on a physical cue, like the rise and fall of your belly or the sensation of air in your nostrils (cool air coming in, warmer air going out). When your mind naturally wanders (and it will—that's inevitable), make a note of it, then simply return to the inhale and exhale. Breathing in this way, even for a minute or two, helps eliminate distraction, release negative thoughts, increase self-awareness, and quiet a racing mind. The more you do it, the easier it will get—and the more you'll start to notice the benefits in your daily life. 02 of 08 Breath Counting Here's a similar mindful-breathing technique that incorporates another mental cue to help you focus: counting each breath. "For people who have really busy minds, adding the component of counting is very helpful," Price says. "Techniques like counting help take us out of thought loops that feed stress, anxiety, or negative emotions." 03 of 08 Nasal Breathing Inhale through your nose, feeling your belly rise, then exhale through the nose, feeling your lungs empty. Repeat until you begin to feel calmer and more relazed. "This exercise allows you to deepen your awareness of your normal breathing pattern," says Jasmine Marie, breathwork practitioner, author and founder of Black Girls Breathing. "This is a great practice to get familiar with your lung capacity and to begin to know the constraints of your body and what it truly feels like to take a deep breath." 04 of 08 Oceanic Breathing In this pattern, the sound of your breath mimics the crash and retreat of ocean waves. Beginning with your mouth wide open, take a long inhale, then begin exhaling through your mouth, feeling your stomach cave in. Repeat at a slow and steady pace. 05 of 08 Sighing Breath Take a long inhale through the nose, then exhale through the mouth while letting out a deep sigh, the kind of response you might make in moments of frustration. Go ahead and engage your vocal cords, if you like. "This particular practice is soothing when you're experiencing heightened emotions, because it allows you to release those emotions with both your breath and your voice," Marie says. 06 of 08 Deep Breathing Here, you can start to practice changing and deepening your breath to evoke a desired outcome. Deep breathing, also called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, is exactly what it sounds like, and can help promote a sense of calm. Breathe very fully into the belly, then exhale completely. This technique works to deactivate the stress response and bring the body into a calmer "rest and digest" state. Stressed? Overwhelmed? Panicked? Spend a few intentional minutes taking calm, deep (but gentle) breaths, which will signal to your brain that everything is ok. The 7 Best Yoga Poses for Stress Relief 07 of 08 2-4 Breathing This type of breathwork involves extending the exhale so it's longer than the inhale. This is meant to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), the calming counterpart to our sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is triggered in times of stress. While the SNS accelerates heartbeat, breathing, and blood flow, the PNS slows breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. When your stress response is in overdrive, promote serious relaxation with a 2-4 breathing exercise: Inhale for two counts and immediately exhale for four counts. 08 of 08 Energizing Breaths You can harness the breath to perk yourself up, too. "When you're feeling sluggish, invigorate your mind and boost energy and alertness with this breathing exercise, based on a Kundalini yoga technique called segmented breathing," Price says. Inhale in four equal but distinct segments to fill the lungs, then let the breath out in one long, smooth exhale to empty the lungs completely. Repeat three or four times. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Hopper SI, Murray SL, Ferrara LR, Singleton JK. Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing on physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review protocol. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2018;16(6):1367-1372. doi:10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003477 Jerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K. Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(2):107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8 Chen YF, Huang XY, Chien CH, Cheng JF. The Effectiveness of Diaphragmatic Breathing Relaxation Training for Reducing Anxiety. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2017;53(4):329-336. doi:10.1111/ppc.12184 Malhotra V, Bharshankar R, Ravi N, Bhagat OL. Acute Effects on Heart Rate Variability during Slow Deep Breathing. Mymensingh Med J. 2021;30(1):208-213. Cleveland Clinic. Parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS): what it is &function.