Anxiety

Breathing Strategies to Reduce Stress and Worry

Learning simple breathing exercises can be fun and very useful for anxiety.

Posted March 14, 2025 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods

Key points

We can control of anxiety by learning breathing strategies.
The first thing I do with a child experiencing anxiety or stress is to regulate their breathing.
Learning new breathing techniques can be useful for the whole family.
Breathing doesn't cure anxiety, but it helps regulate our reaction to it.

The most frequent referral I get in my psychology practice is children and teenagers experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Sometimes the anxiety is very specific, like doing well on a test or traveling on a plane. Most of the time, however, children experience their anxiety across the board (socially, academically, in sports or music, etc.). Breathing exercises are the first thing I do with anyone who is experiencing stress, worry or anxiety. They can be relaxing, effective, and are easy to learn and free.

Whenever I teach a new skill to a child, I like to teach it to parents and caregivers too. First, the adult will be able to help the child with their new skills when they are not in my office, and second, there is always the chance that the adult will enjoy the process and maybe even benefit from it too. How great would it be if the whole family practiced some of these activities together?

Finally, the techniques below do not always work. I have had experiences where simply trying to teach someone a new breathing technique made them even more anxious. It's perfectly fine if you don’t think they work for you or your family. Simply stop and try something else that does work for you.

Breathing. We breathe all the time, but when we are under stress or anxious, our breathing changes, triggering physical changes like increased heart rate, increases in cortisol levels, and even a rise in blood pressure. Being in a heightened state of anxious arousal has some short-term benefits, but the longer it persists, the worse you feel. Chronic stress and anxiety are actually pretty bad physically and mentally for us. Controlling your breathing is the first step in gaining control of your physiology and negative thoughts. Consider trying some of the following breathing tips now, while you are feeling stable. You will find it hard to integrate them under stress if you haven’t practiced first.

Try a big sigh: Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale purposefully, not being afraid of making a little noise.
Lengthen your exhale: Inhaling deeply is good, but the magic for stress relief is in the exhale. Exhaling is actually a parasympathetic action, which reduces your heart rate and leads to a better sense of calm and relaxation.
Belly breathing (AKA Buddha breathing): While breathing deeply in through your nose, place your concentration on your stomach. Notice how with a deep breath it expands (not the chest, only the belly). Exhale through your mouth while engaging your stomach muscles to push the air out.
Counting and breathing: There are numerous strategies where you count your time inhaling, holding your breath, and exhaling. Some of these include square breathing (inhale, hold, exhale, hold, each for 4 seconds), and the 4-7-8 method (Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds). There are many more breathing exercises where you count; look online, practice some of them, and see which one fits your style.

Breathing exercises are a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. You don’t need any special equipment and they usually work quickly. I like that by teaching a child that they have control over their physiology that starting with simple breathing exercises may lead to more complex skills to self-regulate (meditation, exercise, imagery, etc.) as they get older. Breathing exercises are a great first action when feelings of stress, worry, or anxiety enter your mind.