Stress: What To Do
The physiological and psychological response to demands that feel beyond your resources.
Last revised
Short-term stress is normal and useful; sustained stress without recovery affects sleep, mood, blood pressure and immune function.
Key takeaways
- Slow breathing target pace: about 6 breaths a minute
- A simple pattern: 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out
- Most useful single change: Make the out-breath longer than the in-breath, whatever counts you use.
- Commonest mistake: Forcing a large volume of air; slow and comfortable beats deep and effortful.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Do
- Make the out-breath longer than the in-breath, whatever counts you use
- Practise when calm so the technique is familiar when you are not
- Attach the practice to something you already do daily
- Deal with the source where you can; technique manages symptoms
Do not
- Forcing a large volume of air; slow and comfortable beats deep and effortful
- Treating breathing work as a substitute for assessment
- Alcohol as a wind-down strategy
The figures behind the list
Each item above follows from these, published in the guidance named at the foot of the page.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Slow breathing target pace | about 6 breaths a minute |
| A simple pattern | 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out |
| Time to notice an effect | 2-5 minutes |
| Useful daily practice | 5 minutes at a fixed time |
| Recommended first-line therapy for anxiety disorders | CBT |
Where to go next
- Stress for Beginners: Where to Start
- Your Questions About Stress, Answered
- Stress — the reference entry
- The Evidence on Low Mood and Depression, Without the Hype
- The Evidence on Anxiety, Without the Hype
When to get help
See a GP if anxiety or low mood is interfering with work, sleep or relationships, or if you have panic attacks. Breathlessness that is new, severe or with chest pain needs urgent assessment, not a breathing exercise. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your GP, NHS 111, or the Samaritans on 116 123.
Where this comes from
- NHS — Breathing exercises for stress
- NICE — Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.