Breathwork can be a gentle and accessible way to support your nervous system, especially during moments of stress, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm. Below are two simple practices I often share with clients: the Sigh Breath and Colour Breathing. Both are easy to learn, can be done almost anywhere, and don’t require special equipment or a lot of time.
1. The Sigh Breath (A Breathwork Technique for Anxiety Relief)
The Sigh Breath is a simple breathing method designed to release tension in the chest and body. It can be particularly helpful for managing symptoms of anxiety, panic, or feeling emotionally “keyed up.” Rather than focusing on very deep breathing, this practice emphasizes a slow, prolonged exhale, which helps signal safety to the nervous system.
This is not meant to be a repetitive breathing exercise, but rather a brief reset you can return to throughout the day.
How to Practice the Sigh Breath
- Inhale gently through your nose: Breathe in slowly and evenly – or do two consecutive quick inhales, filling your lungs to a comfortable level (not as deeply as possible).
- Slow, extended exhale: The exhale is the key part of this practice. Open your mouth and let the air out fully so you can hear the sound of the breath releasing. You’re aiming for a long, audible sigh—as if you’re letting out a full release after holding tension. As you exhale, intentionally relax your body and let go of tension, especially in your face and jaw, shoulders, and abdomen.
- Notice the pause: At the end of your exhale, pay attention to the natural pause before the next breath begins. There’s no need to force an inhale—it will arise on its own after a moment. Allow yourself to rest briefly in this stillness.
- Use sparingly: One or two Sigh Breaths every half hour or so is usually recommended. This practice works best as a gentle interruption to stress, rather than something done repeatedly for long periods of time.
2. Colour Breathing (A Visualization-Based Breathwork Practice)
Colour Breathing is a visualization-based breathwork practice that can help you connect with your emotions in a more embodied and compassionate way. It can be especially useful when emotions feel intense or stuck in the body.
This practice invites you to imagine breathing out an emotion you’d like to release, and breathing in a quality you’d like to cultivate.
How to Practice Colour Breathing
- Notice the emotion.
Begin by noticing what emotion is most present for you right now. This might be anger, sadness, anxiety, or overwhelm. See if you can also notice where you feel it in your body. - Assign a colour to the emotion.
Without overthinking it, identify the colour that comes to mind when you think about this emotion. For example, anger might appear as red. - Exhale the colour.
On each exhale, imagine breathing that colour out of your body—letting it leave with your breath. - Choose a colour to invite in.
Next, identify a quality you’d like more of, such as calm, safety, or peace. Imagine the colour associated with that feeling (for example, a warm yellow for peace). - Inhale the new colour.
With each inhale, imagine breathing this colour into your body, allowing it to gently fill the space where the emotion had been.
You can continue this practice for several breaths, moving slowly and checking in with how your body responds.
Gentle Considerations
While breathwork can be a supportive regulation tool, it’s important to approach these practices with care—especially if you have a history of trauma, panic attacks, respiratory conditions, or medical concerns.
- If focusing on your breath feels activating, overwhelming, or unsafe, it’s okay to stop. You might instead place your attention on your surroundings (e.g., noticing five things you can see, or the 54321 technique) or try grounding through movement.
- These practices are meant to be gentle and brief. More is not better—especially with the Sigh Breath, which works best when used sparingly.
- Avoid forcing or controlling the breath. If dizziness, tingling, or increased anxiety arises, return to natural breathing or take a pause.
- Colour Breathing may feel easier for some people than direct breath focus. If visualization feels difficult, you can simply imagine the intention of releasing and inviting in, without clear images.
If you’re unsure whether breathwork is right for you, or you notice strong emotional responses, working with a trained therapist can help you adapt these practices in a way that feels supportive and safe.
