Breathing exercises

Here are some different breathing exercises. Try them out and find one that suits you.

Short breathing exercise

  • Take ten mindful breaths, where you fully focus on how the breath feels in your chest, stomach and nostrils. Alternate a few times between these body parts.
  • Breathe in naturally, letting the breath go by itself, don’t take deep breaths. Focus on emptying your lungs of air as you exhale between each breath.
  • Try to let go of all other thoughts while doing the exercise. Focus your entire attention on the breaths, on counting them and on noting how it feels.

3-4-5 breathing

  1. Breathe in for 3 seconds.
  2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
  3. Breathe out for 5 seconds.

Repeat the exercise a few times.

Square breathing 

Imagine that with your breathing you are moving along the sides of a square in line with the instructions below.

  1. Breathe in for 3 seconds.
  2. Then hold your breath for 3 seconds.
  3. Breathe out for 3 seconds.
  4. Hold your breath again for 3 seconds.

Repeat the exercise a few times. You can increase the number of seconds from three to e.g. five or seven when you have practised for a while and feel comfortable with it.