Five minutes of breathing could ease daily stress

Scientists are finding that a simple breathing exercise may help improve mood and ease stress, and some of the world’s leading breathwork experts believe the benefits can begin with just a few minutes each day.

There are days when life seems to come at us from every direction. The bills, family worries, health appointments, interrupted sleep and the endless stream of things demanding our attention can leave even the calmest among us feeling overwhelmed.

And while we might tell ourselves to take a deep breath, it turns out that familiar advice has considerably more scientific backing than many of us realise.

Researchers at Stanford University have found that spending just five minutes a day practising certain breathing exercises may improve mood and reduce some of the body’s physiological signs of stress.

The findings have helped fuel growing interest in breathwork, a practice attracting everyone from neuroscientists and psychiatrists to bestselling authors and wellness enthusiasts.

But before you imagine expensive retreats, complicated meditation routines or sitting cross-legged on the floor, the good news is that some of the most promising techniques can be practised in an ordinary chair, in the comfort of your own home.

And you don’t need to be particularly fit, flexible or experienced to begin.

The science behind five minutes of calm

In a study published in Cell Reports Medicine, Stanford researchers compared three structured breathing techniques with mindfulness meditation over a month.

Participants were asked to spend five minutes each day practising their assigned exercise, with researchers examining changes in mood, anxiety and physiological measures, including breathing rate.

All four approaches were associated with improvements in mood, but the breathing exercises produced greater gains in positive mood than mindfulness meditation. One technique, known as cyclic sighing, stood out.

It involves taking an inhale, adding a second smaller inhale, then releasing the air through a long, slow exhale.

The technique sounds almost too simple to warrant scientific investigation. Yet researchers found that participants practising cyclic sighing experienced particularly encouraging improvements in mood and reductions in breathing rate.

Dr David Spiegel, a Stanford psychiatrist who co-led the research, has explained how anxiety can develop into a self-reinforcing cycle, with physical sensations such as a racing heart or rapid breathing making us feel even more worried.

“As soon as you notice what’s going on in your body, your brain thinks, ‘Oh no, this must be really bad,’ and you get more anxious,” he told Stanford Medicine.

Breathing is unusual among the body’s essential functions. Most of the time, it happens automatically, without us giving it a second thought. Yet unlike our heartbeat or digestion, we can consciously alter its rhythm.

That gives us a practical way to influence some of the physical responses associated with stress.

The Stanford study was relatively small and lasted only a month. Its findings are encouraging, but they don’t establish breathwork as a treatment for anxiety disorders or prove that five minutes will work for everyone.

Why the way we exhale matters

Neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman, who was involved in the Stanford research, has become one of the better-known advocates of the physiological sigh.

The technique places particular emphasis on the exhale, something that may sound counterintuitive when we’ve spent much of our lives being told to take a big breath in.

When we’re anxious, our breathing can become faster and shallower. Slowing the process, particularly allowing a comfortable, extended exhale, can help interrupt that pattern.

A physiological sigh involves two successive inhales, usually through the nose, followed by a slow exhale through the mouth.

It’s also something our bodies occasionally do naturally, including during periods of emotional distress.

Huberman has helped popularise the technique as a practical way of managing momentary stress, encouraging people to pay attention to their exhalations rather than simply taking increasingly deep breaths.

Importantly, the Stanford research investigated regular practice over several weeks. A single sigh might feel calming, but that is different from demonstrating lasting improvements in mental health.

And the findings don’t mean we should spend the day taking enormous breaths or forcing air in and out of our lungs. Gentle, comfortable breathing remains the priority.

What a bigger body of research tells us

The Stanford findings are supported by a broader, although still developing, body of scientific evidence. A 2023 review published in Scientific Reports examined randomised controlled trials investigating breathwork and mental health.

Its primary analysis included 12 studies involving 785 adults and found that breathwork was associated with a small-to-moderate reduction in self-reported stress compared with control groups.

Separate analyses also identified improvements in anxiety and depressive symptoms.

However, the researchers urged caution. Many studies had methodological limitations, and the evidence was not strong enough to justify sweeping claims about breathwork’s therapeutic effects.

The participants in the primary stress analysis had an average age of approximately 42, so the findings cannot automatically be assumed to apply equally to everyone over 60.

Nevertheless, the results suggest that simple breathing practices may be a worthwhile addition to other established ways of managing everyday stress, including physical activity, social connection and appropriate medical care.

The bestselling author who wants us to breathe differently

Few people have done more to bring breathwork into mainstream conversation than American science journalist James Nestor.

His bestselling book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, explores how breathing habits influence our health, drawing on scientific research, traditional practices and his own experiments.

Nestor argues that many people breathe too quickly or inefficiently, and that slowing down and breathing gently through the nose may be beneficial.

He has also encouraged people to practise breathing exercises during ordinary activities, such as watching television, reading or doing household chores, rather than treating breathwork as something requiring a dedicated wellness session.

His broader claims about breathing and long-term health have attracted considerable interest, although not all are supported by equally strong evidence.

Still, his everyday approach makes an important point for anyone who feels they haven’t the time or inclination to take up meditation.

A breathing practice doesn’t have to become another appointment in an already crowded diary. It might be something you do while sitting in your favourite chair, waiting for the kettle to boil or winding down before bed.

A breathing habit you can start today

For anyone interested in trying breathwork, the British National Health Service recommends a straightforward exercise that can be practised while sitting, standing or lying comfortably.

Start by finding a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted for a few minutes.

Sit with your back supported and your feet resting comfortably on the floor. Relax your shoulders and loosen any clothing that feels restrictive.

Breathe gently through your nose, allowing the air to move into your abdomen as comfortably as possible. There’s no need to force a particularly deep breath.

As you inhale, count slowly towards five, if that feels natural. Then allow the breath to flow out gently, perhaps through your mouth, counting towards five again.

Continue for around five minutes, keeping the breathing comfortable and unhurried.

If counting makes you feel strained, simply breathe at a pace that feels easy. Stop if you become dizzy or uncomfortable.

The NHS recommends practising regularly as part of a daily routine. The goal is not to achieve a perfect breathing pattern, but to create a few minutes of calm.

What about sleep, pain and other benefits?

Researchers are also exploring whether breathwork might help with problems beyond everyday stress.

The Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Evidence resource highlights studies investigating breathing techniques and their effects on mood, pain and physiological responses.

One small pilot trial examined whether four minutes of cyclic sighing could help people experiencing acute pain while waiting for an X-ray at an orthopaedic clinic. Participants practising the technique reported lower pain intensity and unpleasantness than those in the comparison group.

It’s an intriguing finding, particularly for older adults managing painful conditions, although a small pilot study cannot establish breathwork as a reliable form of pain relief.

Breathing exercises are also frequently recommended as part of bedtime relaxation routines. They may help some people settle before sleep, but evidence for treating persistent insomnia remains limited.

For people living with chronic pain, sleep disorders or significant anxiety, breathwork should be regarded as a possible addition to appropriate care rather than a replacement for treatment.

Not all breathing techniques are created equal

Dutch wellness personality Wim Hof has popularised a more intensive method combining repeated deep breathing, breath-holding and cold exposure.

His approach has attracted a large international following, but it differs substantially from the gentle breathing exercises used for everyday relaxation.

Rapid breathing and prolonged breath-holding can cause dizziness, tingling and, in some circumstances, fainting.

Even Hof’s official guidance warns against practising his breathing method while swimming, bathing, showering or driving, where losing consciousness could have serious consequences.

Anyone with cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems or other significant medical conditions should seek professional advice before attempting intensive breathing techniques.

For older Australians who simply want to feel a little calmer, there’s no reason to begin with anything so demanding.

Sometimes the simplest habits are worth keeping

One of the more interesting findings in the growing body of breathwork research comes from a trial involving 400 participants.

Researchers compared slow, coherent breathing at approximately five and a half breaths per minute with another breathing practice performed at a more typical rate.

Both groups reported improvements in wellbeing, but there was no significant difference between them.

It raises the possibility that regularly setting aside time to breathe calmly and pay attention to ourselves may be as important as mastering a particular technique.

For older Australians, that’s an encouraging thought. There’s no need to buy equipment, learn complicated terminology or commit to an elaborate wellness routine.

Five minutes in the morning, a quiet moment after lunch or a gentle breathing exercise before bed might be enough to begin experimenting with a new habit.

And while science is still working out exactly how much breathwork can achieve, the early findings suggest that taking a little time to slow down may have benefits beyond simply giving ourselves a break.

We’ve been breathing our entire lives and maybe it’s worth spending a few minutes paying attention to how we do it.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.