‘I Tried 4 Different Types of Breathwork for Anxiety—This Is the Type That Actually Worked for Me’

As a naturally anxious person, I’ve often found it frustrating when people tell me to “just take a deep breath and relax” when I’m feeling worked up. If the things I worry about could be fixed by simply holding my breath and counting to 10, I wouldn’t be worried about them.

It’s true that life’s problems can’t be solved by breathing, and people who experience anxiety regularly often need specific solutions—which may include therapy or prescription medication. But as a health journalist, I also can’t ignore the many scientific studies that have linked different types of breathing exercises to reduced feelings of anxiety. Could it really help? Skeptical, I decided to give it a try.

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Different Types of Breathwork for Anxiety

There are many different types of breathwork for anxiety. I decided to try four different ones. I was curious if they all would work (or wouldn’t work) or if one style would resonate with me more than the others. The four types of breathwork I decided to try are outlined below:

• Diaphragmatic breathing: Also known as belly breathing, this type of breathwork uses the diaphragm. To do it, place one hand on the upper chest and the other hand below the rib cage. Breathe slowly through the nose so that the stomach moves out. Tighten the stomach muscles so that the stomach moves in, causing the hand to lower as you exhale.

• Humming breath: This type of breathwork combines breath and vibration. It’s done by breathing in through the nose for five seconds, humming while keeping the mouth closed until out of breath, and then repeating.

• Pursed lips breathing: This is done by breathing in through the nose and then out through pursed lips—as if you are blowing out a candle. The exhale should be longer than the inhale.

• Breath prayer: Breath prayers combine breathing and praying. Small parts of scripture or a mantra are repeated (typically between six to eight syllables) while slowly breathing in and out. I learned about this type of breathwork through the book Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker.

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How Breathwork for Anxiety Worked for Me

I made it a goal to practice breathwork each morning, spending five minutes doing one of the four breathwork methods listed above every day for three days each. I decided to focus on diaphragmatic breathing for the first three days.

At first, it took me a while to get the hang of diaphragmatic breathing. It made me realize that I typically take short, shallow breaths that draw my stomach in as I breathe; taking long breaths that push my stomach out was certainly a change. But after a few minutes, I got into a steady rhythm and I felt my heartbeat start to slow. I had to admit, this did make me feel calmer. This made sense to me too. During times of intense anxiety, it’s natural to take short, shallow breaths so it’s logical that the complete opposite—deep, belly breaths—would lead to feeling more relaxed.

There was only one problem: For me, diaphragmatic breathing was….boring. Even though my timer was only set for five minutes, I found myself wondering when my alarm would go off. Maybe incorporating humming into my breathwork would make it more interesting to me. After three days of diaphragmatic breathing, I decided to devote the next three days to humming breathwork to find out.

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Similar to diaphragmatic breathing, humming breath took me a few minutes to settle into. It turns out breathing is effortless until you start overthinking it. I thought humming while breathing out might tickle a little, but it didn’t. I felt the vibration mostly in my mouth, throat and head, and it actually felt…soothing. But, just like with diaphragmatic breathing, I found it boring and it also made me self-conscious. While diaphragmatic breathing could technically be done in a public place without anyone knowing (an anxiety tool perk), people would definitely notice if someone was doing humming breathwork. While many do find this style beneficial, it personally wasn’t for me. I still stuck with it for three days but was grateful to move on to pursed lips breathing, which was quieter.

So far, pursed lip breathing turned out to be the easiest and most intuitive; I got the hang of it instantly. This type of breathwork actually energized me which is different from the first two styles I tried, which made me feel more relaxed. For me, pursed lip breathing felt a little like when you audibly hear yourself breathe while walking up a hill and it actually made me breathe faster. I had to keep reminding myself that the exhale should be longer than the inhale. Overall, I didn’t see the energizing nature of pursed lip breathing as a negative—it was just a different result than the first two.

The last breathwork style I tried was breath prayer, which I did using the Breath as Prayer book. I used this as a devotional time. The short prayers are inspired by Bible verses. For example, one breath prayer is: “(Inhale) I give you all my burdens, (exhale) and you will give me rest” based on Matthew 11:28: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’” Another breath prayer is: “(Inhale) When I am afraid, (exhale), I put my trust in you” the exact phrasing of Psalm 56:3. Again, setting my timer for five minutes, I would breathe in and out slowly, repeating the breath prayer.

Ultimately, this is the breathwork style that worked for me and I surprised myself by actually sticking with it well past the experiment deadline; it’s something I start (almost!) every day now. The prayers deepen my faith in God and remind me that I can trust Him to provide. This simple reminder has made many of the worries that used to send me into a downward spiral seem like not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

While the Breath as Prayer book is aimed at people with a Christian faith, I do think breath prayer can work for anyone who believes in a Higher Power. Instead of a Bible verse, a mantra could be the center focus; anything that reminds you that there is something bigger at work than yourself.

Related: Work Through Anxiety With These 50 Simple Mantras for Relaxation

My experiment has technically been over for weeks, and yet, in addition to making breath prayers part of my morning routine, I actually have started to use diaphragmatic breathing as an in-the-moment tool to lower my anxiety as well. For example, the other day I was stuck in traffic and running late, so I started diaphragmatic breathing in my car until I felt myself start to relax and loosen my grip on the steering wheel a bit.

I do think breathwork can help with anxiety—the science is clear on its benefits—but I also think that it’s important to find what works for you. Some people might find running or dancing around to their favorite song does more for their mental health than taking deep breaths. And of course, there are times when therapy or prescription medication should be used. The key is to find what works for you. Consider breathwork just one more tool in your mental health toolbox. It’s there when you need it—and it’s free!

Next up, find out what the best habit for anxiety is, according to mental health experts.