Coming back to the body and the present moment · worksheet 15
Breathing slowly sends the body a signal of calm. You don’t need to breathe hard: the point is to slow down. Practise when you feel fine, so that it comes easily when anxiety rises.
Before you start
- What it is for: To calm your body with slow breathing and a slightly longer out-breath.
- 5 minutes, once or twice a day, for a week. Best practised first when you are calm.
- This is not about breathing very deeply: it is about breathing more slowly, especially when you breathe out.
- If you feel dizzy or notice tingling, take in less air and breathe more gently: it is a sign you are taking in too much.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
Compare the tension before and after. A drop of a few points is already useful. Notice the times of day when it helps most.
If you find it hard
If you feel dizzy, you are breathing too deeply: breathe more gently. If you have panic attacks, don’t turn it into a compulsory protection; talk about it with your psychologist.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Learn slow, regular breathing (about 6 breaths a minute, with a slightly longer out-breath) to reduce physiological activation and regain a sense of control.
Tension, physical anxiety, difficulty falling asleep. Adults and adolescents. Duration: 5 min in session; 5 min twice a day.
References
Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M. et al. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.
Clark, D. A. & Beck, A. T. (2010). Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: Science and Practice. Guilford.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
