Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

How can I control my breathing?

22 Answers
Last Updated: 03/19/2018 at 6:31pm
Perfect therapy for people who need help. I would like to say, I never can imagine it could be possible to heal people like that
Ta Tania
5 star rating
Moderated by

Danielle Johnson, MSED, Community mental Health Counseling, LMHC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Sometime situations and feelings can be so strong that we struggle to function. You are not alone! My practice is flexible and open-minded and tailored to your personal needs.

Top Rated Answers
Angelynn
May 23rd, 2016 1:49pm
Try the four, seven, eight breathing exercise. Breathe in for four, out for seven, and in for eight. It can help you to sleep and calm down from panic attacks.
Anonymous
March 19th, 2018 6:31pm
Try breathing with counts. As you breathe in, count to 5, hold your breath, count to 5, breathe out, count to 5. There are many .gifs out there that serves as a visual aid for breathing. You breathe in and out as the image moves. There are also mindfulness apps that helps to guide breathing.
Sodiumforsaltytimes
February 27th, 2018 11:42pm
Try putting your wrists under cold (streaming) water, find someone who can comfort you (if there is someone). Count or do breathing exercises, listen to calm music. Hold someone's hand (sounds weird, but it works)
AsincereListener
February 27th, 2018 4:01pm
To cut things short, by opening and closing your mouth lol. But truly speaking, by closing your eyes and inhaling deeply, focusing all your attention on all the air rushing into your lungs, filling them up. And then exhaling slowly, feeling your lungs push out all that air. Keep doing that in every tensed situation and problem solved. Hopefully.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2018 7:26pm
Tap the tip of your thumb against the tip of your pointer finger, then the tip of your middle finger... untill you reach your pinky. While doing this count to 4 and inhale, then work backwards from your pinky counting to 4 again while you exhale.
KindPear
March 8th, 2017 7:15pm
Check out some guided meditation/mindfulness for anxiety/panic on youtube. There are a lot of ones specifically to help breathing. I use them every day honestly. But breathing in through the nose for 4 and out for 6 has been helpful sometimes. I've heard doing it for different amounts of time can help reset things.
gigantOcean79
February 14th, 2017 1:21am
Focus on the amount of seconds passed between each breath. Breathe in for 7 seconds, filling your lungs then exhale slowly. Once you empty your lungs, leave them empty for a second before breathing in again. Repeat.
carlee11
January 30th, 2017 8:00pm
Personally, this is what I do when I need to get my breathing under control. I first think about something calming. I go to a safe place in my head. I then count my breathes , or say "In" and "out" in my head slowly. I focus only on the words in and out or the numbers. It helps to completely remove myself for the troubling thoughts or situations.
cynderislame
November 1st, 2016 9:05pm
Controlled breathing is completely based on focusing! If you try to tune things out and close your eyes, concentrating on taking deep breaths in and out, your breathing will steady. You can also try counting, breathing in for 4 and out for 5 or something along those lines!
Anonymous
August 9th, 2016 8:44pm
Using breathing techniques
KittensAndAshley
May 24th, 2016 6:34pm
Focus your attention on something that is constant, like a wall or a window. Count to 10 and ten recite your ABC's in rhythm with your breaths
GhostGhost
January 16th, 2015 9:56pm
Many yoga classes and videos on YouTube will have videos on breathing exercises. But most genre ly state to breath in threw your nose and count to ten, followed by breathing out threw your mouth on the count of ten as well.
FrenchToast
May 23rd, 2016 7:42am
Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs. Hold your breath to the count of "three." Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach. DO NOT PANIC. :)
laramsilva
September 15th, 2015 8:56pm
Normaly people don't pay to much atenttion to their breath, but that is an important thing. When you feel stressed it's important for you to control your breathing. Breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. I, for example, breath in through my nose for the count of 4 seconds, then breath out of my mouth for the count of 4 seconds.
LeapingLaughter
September 8th, 2015 7:44am
Start by tuning everything else out. Breath in through your nose and count to four. Hold the breath for four counts, then release the breath through your mouth for four counts, and hold the exhale for four counts. This can help you reset your breathing.
AmyTheListener
July 27th, 2015 7:29am
There are plenty of ways to control breathing. I have panic attacks and breathing is very difficult during them. I usually put my head between my legs and that helps me breathe smoother and cleaner.
friendlyUnicorn16
June 13th, 2015 9:06pm
Thing that helps to me is to breathe in on my nose for 4 seconds and breathe out for 4 seconds. Do it for a while, you should feel better after it.
T1taniumx
June 5th, 2015 3:18pm
If you are having a panic attack or feeling nervous a good way to control your breathing is by taking deep breaths in and out and counting at even intervals. Taking deep breaths that fill all of your lungs help relax all those muscles that might be tense while you are experiencing heavy uncontrolled breathing.
RideMikeRide
May 24th, 2015 1:56am
If you experiencing dramatic over-breathing (hyperventilation), you can help control it by breathing into either a paper bag or pillow until your breathing rate normalizes.
peacefulSummer36
May 16th, 2015 8:17pm
Practice breathing in for four counts and then breathing out for four counts. Starting your morning with a breathing exercise can help your breathing throughout the rest of the day. It prepares your lungs for a long day of breathing and can help keep it consistent. During a panic attack or an asthma attack, place your hands above your head and breathe in as deeply as you can as slowly as you can. After a few times, your breathing will slow down and become normal again.
XImperfectSymphonyX
April 30th, 2015 4:33am
By personal experience, I can say that counting things around you can help :) For example, how many woman have their hair up in this room? or How many square objects are in this room ?
GypsySoul95
March 14th, 2015 3:34am
Focus on the feeling of the air entering and leaving your body. It helps slow my breathing down when I need to catch my breathe.