12 Ways to Breathe - wikiHow https://www.wikihow.

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Co-authored by Ni-Cheng Liang, MD and Madeleine Criglow

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Breathing is a basic human function, but most of the time you don’t even realize you’re
doing it. You may be surprised to learn that there are better ways to breathe than others.
Short, shallow breaths, for example, may not give you the same benefits as deep
breathing through your nose. This article goes into the many ways you can improve your
breathing, including monitoring your breathing throughout your day, practicing meditative
breathing to relieve stress, and paying attention to your breaths as you exercise.

1 Take deep breaths and avoid shallow chest breathing.

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It’s easy to get in the habit of taking short, shallow breaths. It’s important to train
yourself to breathe deeply since deep breaths are better at oxygenating your body and
can actually help reduce stress. Take a moment to pay attention to your breathing. If
only your chest is rising and falling when you breathe, you’re likely taking shallow
breaths.[1]

• Try practicing deep breathing for several minutes every day. Over time, it will
become easier and feel more natural.

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2 Remember to breathe with your diaphragm.

Your diaphragm is a thin muscle underneath your lungs. When you take a deep
breath, your diaphragm moves downward and gives your lungs more room to fill up and
expand. To breathe from your diaphragm, inhale deeply through your nose like you’re
breathing into your lower belly. You should feel your abdomen expand when you inhale.wikiHow Tec
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• If you’re not sure whether you’re breathing from your diaphragm, try placing your

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hand over your belly. Then, inhale deeply through your nose, and see if your hand
is pushed up by your stomach. If it is, you’re breathing from your diaphragm.
• Breathing from your diaphragm can actually slow your heartbeat and lower or
stabilize your blood pressure.[3]

3 Inhale through your nose instead of your mouth.

Breathing through your nose helps purify the air. This helps you avoid inhaling as
many irritants.[4] It also regulates the temperature of the air you’re breathing in. If you
normally breathe through your mouth, practice closing your mouth and inhaling through
your nose. Then, exhale through your nose or mouth, whichever is most comfortable.[5]

• Inhaling through your nose might be difficult at first if you’re used to breathing with
your mouth, but it will get easier over time with practice.

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4 Maintain good posture and keep your body relaxed.

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Slouching makes it harder to take full, deep breaths. Instead, you want to stand up
straight, relax your shoulders, and loosen your joints so it’s easier to breathe.[6]

• Try slouching forward, lifting your shoulders toward your head so they’re tense, and
taking a deep breath. Then, stand up straight, relax your shoulders, and take
another deep breath. You should be able to feel how much easier it is to breathe
when you have a good posture.
• Whenever you catch yourself slouching or tensing up, adjust your posture and take
a moment to relax your muscles.

5 Check in on your breathing throughout the day.

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Schedule regular check-ins to stay focused on your breathing. Since you don’t
usually realize that you’re breathing, it can be tricky to notice whether or not you’re
doing it properly. Try to check-in at the same time every day, like each morning and
lunchtime, so that it becomes part of your routine.[7]

• Being more mindful of your breathing can help you make adjustments if necessary.
For example, if you notice that you’re taking shallow breaths whenever you check
on your breathing, you’ll know to work on taking deeper breaths from your
diaphragm.[8]

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6 Try calming breathing exercises when you feel stressed.

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Deep, purposeful breaths calm you down in stressful or scary situations. To

make deep breathing easier, try practicing a couple of breathing exercises so you can
use them the next time you're feeling overwhelmed.[9]

• For example, you can quickly relax when you're feeling stressed by taking deep
breaths through your nose and then sighing out loud on your exhales.[10]
• If you ever feel like you're on the verge of having a panic attack, take a deep breath
in for 3 seconds, hold it for 3 seconds, and then slowly exhale through pursed lips.
Repeat the exercise until you calm down.[11]
• To stop hyperventilating, try inhaling slowly through your nose for 7 seconds and
then exhaling for a count of 11.

7 Practice deep breathing exercises.

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Get into a comfortable position. You might find it easier to take deep, slow breaths if
you are lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair. Try lying on your back on a blanket,
sofa, or bed with your arms lying loosely at your sides. Next, breathe in through your
nose, letting your chest and lower belly rise as you fill your lungs with air. Relax and let
your abdomen fully expand.[12] Breathe out through your mouth. Repeat for 10-20
minutes every day.[13]

• Deep breathing exercises help you take the time out of your day to focus on just
your breaths. This can help you relax in the moment and improve your form when
breathing throughout the day.
• You can also use pillows to support your head and knees if it helps you feel more
comfortable.

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8 Try meditative breathing.

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Find somewhere comfortable to sit with your back straight. Sitting up straight will
open up your lungs and make it easier to take deep, steady breaths. Next, take a few
deep breaths. The goal of meditative breathing is to slow your breaths, help your body
take in more oxygen, and be mindful of how you’re breathing. As you do so, let go of
your thoughts and any distractions around you. Instead, focus on only your breath as
you inhale and exhale. If you struggle to relax at first, start by meditating for five
minutes. As you get more comfortable, move that up to 15-20 minutes. Even just a few
minutes of meditation provides benefits![14]

• Meditative breathing can train you to become more mindful and present.
• Try sitting in a comfortable chair or on a blanket on the floor with your legs crossed.
• If your mind wanders and you notice yourself thinking about something else, just
return your focus to your breathing, and continue to slowly inhale and exhale.

9 Take deep belly breaths when you run.

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Breathing deeply while you run fills your lungs with more oxygen. This gives your
body more energy to keep running. If you’re only taking shallow chest breaths when
you run, try to practice breathing from your diaphragm so your belly expands when you
inhale.[15]

• If taking steady, deep breaths is hard for you to do while you're running, try
experimenting with different breathing rhythms until you find one that's comfortable.
For example, you could inhale deeply once and then exhale out of your mouth
twice.

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10 Inhale and exhale on a 4 count during core exercises.

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Avoid holding your breath during core and abdominal exercises. Doing so can
make your workout harder for your muscles. Instead, as you do your exercises,
maintain a steady 4 count as you inhale, and then another 4 count as you exhale. That
way, you’ll breathe consistently as you work out your core.[16]

11 Breathe in through your nose during high-intensity exercises.

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High-intensity exercises like jumping jacks require a lot of oxygen. Taking in a lot
of air through your mouth can actually reduce your body’s ability to use oxygen as
energy. Instead, inhale through your nose during these exercises so you’re getting
more oxygen into your body. This will help you work out for longer, too![17]

• If you're having trouble breathing through your nose, try reducing the intensity or
duration of your exercises until you're able to do them without inhaling through your
mouth.

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12 Breathe rhythmically as you do strength-training exercises.

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Breathing properly during strength-training exercises improves your form. The

practice also helps prevent complications, like hernias. Instead of breathing erratically
when you lift weights or do other strength exercises, exhale when you’re lifting and
inhale when you’re lowering.[18]

• For example, when you’re doing bicep curls, exhale as you lift the weight, and then
inhale as you lower it back down.
• If you’re having trouble breathing like this, you might be lifting too much or
overexerting yourself. If you do have difficulty breathing then contact your nearest
doctor, or if worse an emergency ambulance.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the proper way to breathe when I'm feeling nervous?

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Rebekka Mars Develop t

Meditation & Yoga Coach
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Expert Answer

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Put a hand on your belly and breathe in so your belly moves forward. Then, breathe
out, pressing the belly back. As you get the belly moving, it will calm your nervous
system down.
Helpful 59 Not Helpful 268

Question

What's the correct way to breathe?

Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
Board Certified Pulmonologist
Expert Answer

Breathe in through your nose since it helps filter out irritants that could be in the air.
Helpful 67 Not Helpful 225

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References

1. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-
quell-errant-stress-response
2. ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
3. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-
quell-errant-stress-response
4. ↑ Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Board Certified Pulmonologist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
5. ↑ https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2017/breathe-exercise-workout.html
6. ↑ https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5716/how-posture-affects-
breathing/
7. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-
quell-errant-stress-response
8. ↑ Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Board Certified Pulmonologist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
9. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-
quell-errant-stress-response/

More References (9)

About This Article wikiHow Tec

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Co-authored by:
Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
Board Certified Pulmonologist

This article was co-authored by Ni-Cheng Liang, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Madeleine Criglow. Dr. Ni-
Cheng Liang is a board certified Pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal
Pulmonary Associates affiliated with the Scripps Health Network in San Diego, California. She also serves as
a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine while
volunteering for the UCSD Medical Student-Run Free Clinic for uninsured patients. With over 15 years of
experience, Dr. Liang specializes in pulmonary and respiratory medical concerns, mindfulness teaching,
physician wellness, and integrative medicine. Dr. Liang received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the
University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Liang was voted as a San Diego Top Doctor in 2017 and 2019.
She was also awarded the 2019 American Lung Association San Diego Lung Health Provider of the Year. This
article has been viewed 1,770,063 times.

Co-authors: 284
1,157 votes - 66% Updated: October 3, 2022
Views: 1,770,063

Categories: Breathing Health

Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice,
examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified
healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
Read More...

Article Summary

In other languages:
Español: respirar ‫اﻟﺘﻨﻔﺲ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﺻﺤﯿﺢ‬:‫اﻟﻌﺮﺑﯿﺔ‬
Português: Respirar Corretamente 中⽂: 呼吸
Italiano: Respirare Correttamente Tiếng Việt: Hít thở
Français: respirer ไทย: หายใจ
Nederlands: Ademhalen ⽇本語: 呼吸を改善する
Deutsch: Richtig atmen िह�दी: साँस ल� (Breathe)
Русский: правильно дышать 한국어: 바른 호흡법
Bahasa Indonesia: Bernapas Türkçe: Nasıl Nefes Alınır

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,770,063 times.

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