Body-Based Coping Skill
Breathing
Why Use Breathing Exercises?
Stress and strong emotions often affect breathing. Breathing may become faster, shallower, irregular, or difficult to ignore.
Breathing exercises intentionally slow the process down. The goal is not necessarily to eliminate an emotion. Instead, changing the pace of breathing can help reduce physical intensity enough to make other coping strategies easier to use.
Paced breathing is also one component of the DBT TIPP distress-tolerance skill.
Try This Now
Longer-Exhale Breathing
- Sit or stand in a comfortable position.
- Breathe in gently for about 4 seconds.
- Breathe out slowly for about 6 seconds.
- Begin the next breath without forcing or holding it.
- Continue for about one minute.
The exact numbers are not important. Aim for a comfortable, steady pace with an exhale that is somewhat longer than the inhale.
If you become lightheaded or uncomfortable, return to your normal breathing.
Breathing Exercises
Counted Breathing
Choose a comfortable count for each breath.
For example:
- Inhale for 4
- Exhale for 6
Repeat the pattern without forcing yourself to take unusually large breaths.
Focus on the Exhale
Instead of controlling the entire breath, simply make each exhale slow and comfortable.
Allow the next inhale to happen naturally.
This can be useful when counting feels like too much work.
Hand-on-Body Breathing
Place a hand comfortably on your chest, abdomen, or another place where you can notice movement from your breathing.
Pay attention to the physical movement beneath your hand as you breathe.
The physical sensation can also serve as a grounding point for attention.
Breath Counting
Breathe naturally and count each exhale:
One... two... three... four... five.
Then return to one.
If you lose track, simply begin again. The goal is attention, not perfect counting.
Box Breathing
One common breathing pattern uses four equal phases:
- Inhale
- Pause
- Exhale
- Pause
A common example is four seconds for each phase.
Breath holding is not necessary for relaxation. If pauses feel uncomfortable or increase anxiety, use ordinary paced breathing instead.
Pair Breathing With a Phrase
Pair the breath with simple words or phrases.
For example:
Inhale: “Right now...”
Exhale: “...just this moment.”
The words can help keep your attention connected to the exercise.
Tips for Practice
- Breathe gently rather than taking repeated very large breaths.
- Practice for a short period when calm so the technique becomes familiar.
- Try different counting patterns to find one that feels natural.
- If focusing on breathing increases anxiety, use another grounding or coping strategy instead.