How it works

Take a sharp, deep breath in through the nose. Hold for a couple of seconds, then let the breath out slowly, with a sigh.

Why It Works

Breathing is something that we do all day long without thinking of it, yet we can also control our breathing consciously. When we practice Calm Breathing, we use our breathing to get control over our nervous system. When we slow down our breathing, we slow down our brainwaves. This can help us get out of anxious high-beta wave frequency and into calm alpha waves.

If you haven’t given Calm Breathing a try yet, do it now. Take notice of how your body feels both before and after you use the technique. This technique is just one of many body-based tools that will help you to relax.

More Techniques to Feel Better Fast

If you found Calm Breathing helpful, here are a few more tools you can try next time you need to relax: Soothing Butterfly Hug, Simplified Self-Havening, and Calming Hug. All of the videos and techniques in our "Try This" series were created by ACEP's Humanitarian Committee in order to help people heal by spreading the word about the powerful effects of energy psychology techniques. We invite you to help by sharing this information!

Need Help from a Professional?

Many people are experiencing stress and distress, while seeking alternatives to pharmaceuticals. ACEP is a nonprofit, 501c3 dedicated to the research, education, and sharing of energy psychology. Check out the ACEP practitioner directory to find a certified ACEP therapist in your area or online.

Author: Sarah Murphy, LPC

Sarah Murphy is a licensed professional counselor and coach with more than 12 years of clinical experience. She is Communications Committee Chair for ACEP and staff therapist for Unite for HER. She specializes in energy psychology, including EFT, as well as mindfulness and hypnotherapy. Learn more at www.transformative-therapy.com. 

Video Resources Provided by the ACEP Humanitarian Committee

The mission of the ACEP Humanitarian Committee is to develop and implement humanitarian projects that alleviate emotional distress caused by catastrophic natural and man-made events around the globe. We do this by encouraging and assisting ACEP members in developing humanitarian projects that utilize recognized energy psychology and other modalities that meet ACEP’s standards and guidelines. Learn more here.

Photo by Omid Armin on unsplash