There’s a breathing exercise that takes a few minutes when you feel tense or anxious. The NHS page “Breathing exercises for stress” describes a calming technique for stress, anxiety and panic: breathe deep into your belly without forcing it, in through your nose and out through your mouth, counting 1 to 5 on each breath if it helps, and keep going for at least 5 minutes. You can do it lying down, sitting in a chair that supports your back, or standing, and the NHS says it works best done every day as a routine. Enter seconds in and out and the time, and the calculator counts the breaths.
1. Deep into your belly, in through the nose and out through the mouth — without forcing it.
2. Counting 1 to 5 on each breath may help — reaching 5 may take time.
3. At least 5 minutes, as a daily routine — 5 seconds in and 5 out gives 30 breaths in 5 minutes (our sum).
Calculator
Updates as you type. Breaths = minutes × 60 ÷ (in + out seconds), rounded down (our sum). The NHS gives counting to 5 as an aid, not a rule: “it may take time” to reach 5.
Steps — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Let the breath go into your belly as deep as is comfortable, without forcing it | Not just the chest rising (ours) |
| 2 | In through the nose, out through the mouth | — |
| 3 | Breathe in gently and steadily; counting 1 to 5 helps some people; reaching 5 may take time | Stopping at 3 or 4 is fine at first (ours) |
| 4 | Breathe out gently, counting 1 to 5 if it helps | — |
| 5 | Keep going for at least 5 minutes | — |
Three positions — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Lying down | On a bed or a yoga mat on the floor; arms a little away from the sides, palms up; legs straight, or knees bent with feet flat | — |
| Sitting | In a chair that supports your back; arms on the chair arms; both feet flat, roughly hip-width apart | An office chair works (ours) |
| Standing | Both feet flat, roughly hip-width apart | No arm position given |
In any position, get as comfortable as you can and loosen clothes that restrict breathing. The NHS says it takes a few minutes, can be done anywhere, and works best done regularly as part of your day.
How many breaths — our sum
| In + out (our example) | In 5 minutes | Worth noting (our sum) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + 5 seconds | 30 | 6 a minute |
| 4 + 6 seconds | 30 | 60 in 10 minutes |
| 3 + 3 seconds | 50 | A place to start if 5 is hard |
The NHS doesn’t set breath lengths; it only says counting 1 to 5 may help. Treating each count as a second is our example.
The same NHS collection includes “Exercise for depression” — see exercise for depression.
Checklist
- ☐ Comfortable position, loose clothing
- ☐ In through the nose, out through the mouth
- ☐ Into the belly, without forcing
- ☐ 5 minutes or more, same time each day
Questions that remain
Can I use it during a panic attack?
The NHS presents it for stress, anxiety and panic. This page doesn’t say when to seek care, so if symptoms persist, see a doctor (our note).
Can I do it at bedtime?
Lying down is one of the positions, so yes; the page doesn’t claim it helps you fall asleep.
Sources
- NHS — Breathing exercises for stress — source (page shows: reviewed 12 June 2026, next review 12 June 2029; checked 21 October 2026). Five steps, counting 1 to 5, at least 5 minutes, three positions, clothing, daily routine.
- Not read. The same collection’s 10 stress busters and audio guides; Korean guidance.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the seconds-based sums.
Where to check further
- Mental health services — if anxiety or panic gets in the way of daily life.
Written on 21 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
