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Breathe out longer

Three short breathing and sitting practices, what one trial and one large review found, and a plan for when to use them.

3 lessons · about 5 minutes to start · areas: Mind, Rest

Three practices you can do sitting down, each a few minutes long, and a plan for when to reach for them (my example). Try each for a few days, then keep the one that fits you (my example).

1. 1 Long exhales

   In a month-long trial run online, five minutes a day of breathing with long exhales lifted mood more than the same time spent in mindfulness meditation Balban and colleagues, 2023. It also slowed people's breathing at rest Balban and colleagues, 2023. It was one trial, so treat it as a promising start rather than a settled answer (my example).

   Try it

   Breathe in through your nose, then breathe out slowly through your mouth until you're empty. Let the out-breath take longer than the in-breath, and keep going for five minutes Balban and colleagues, 2023.

   When-then

   When I sit down after work, I'll breathe out long and slow for five minutes (my example).

   How you'll know

   You did it on most days this week, and you can say whether your mood after it differs from before.

2. 2 Box breathing, if counting helps

   The same trial also tested box breathing: equal counts in, hold, out and hold Balban and colleagues, 2023. The long-exhale version did best on mood Balban and colleagues, 2023. If counting helps you settle, box breathing is still a fine choice (my example).

   Try it

   Count four in, hold for four, out for four, hold for four, and do four rounds (my example).

   When-then

   When I notice my shoulders up near my ears, I'll do four rounds of box breathing (my example).

   How you'll know

   You remembered to do it at least once when stress was high (my example).

3. 3 Sitting with your breath

   Across 47 trials, mindfulness meditation programs gave small to moderate drops in anxiety, depression and pain Goyal and colleagues, 2014. They did not beat other active treatments, exercise among them Goyal and colleagues, 2014. So sitting practice is one good option, not the only one (my example).

   Try it

   Sit for five minutes and notice your breath without changing it. When your mind wanders, come back to the breath without scolding yourself (my example).

   When-then

   When I finish my morning coffee, I'll sit for five minutes and notice my breath (my example).

   How you'll know

   After a week, you can tell whether it helps you more or less than a walk does.

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