How to Manage Panic Attacks with Breathing Exercises

As we observe World Mental Health Day 2025, the theme “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” reminds us of the importance of supporting emotional wellbeing during stressful or uncertain times, when heightened anxiety can sometimes lead to panic attacks.  

If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you know how unsettling it can be. Your heart starts racing, your chest feels tight, and it suddenly becomes hard to catch your breath.  

When this happens, the way you breathe can either make things worse or help you find your way back to calm. Effective breathing techniques and practices can help ease the body and restore your sense of control.  

In this article, we’ll explore simple breathing techniques and exercises for panic attacks that can help you. You’ll also discover how the Buteyko Method offers a natural and effective way to manage panic attacks. 

What Are Panic Attacks? 

A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that happens without real danger or warning.  

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) describes it as “an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort.” These episodes can occur in anyone, but frequent attacks and ongoing fear of recurrence may indicate panic disorder.  

Common symptoms include:  

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 2.7% of U.S. adults experienced panic disorder in the past year. Also, women are two to three times more likely to develop the condition than men. 

However, how does breathing play a role in panic attacks? Let us explore that next. 

The Relationship Between Panic Attacks and Breathing 

Breathing and panic are deeply connected both physically and chemically. When a panic attack begins, the body’s fight or flight response is activated.  

The heart beats faster, the muscles tighten, and breathing becomes quick and shallow. This upper‑chest breathing, known as hyperventilation, means you take in more air than your body actually needs.  

As a result, the level of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the blood drops. Although CO₂ is often regarded as a waste gas, it plays a crucial role in facilitating the transport of oxygen to the brain and other organs.

When CO₂ levels fall too low, less oxygen is delivered to the tissues, which can cause dizziness, breathlessness, and a feeling of suffocation. These sensations can intensify panic even further.  

This change in breathing can create a cycle that fuels anxiety:  

• Low CO₂ levels cause shortness of breath and air hunger  
• The fear of suffocating leads to faster breathing  
• Faster breathing lowers CO₂ even more and increases anxiety symptoms. 

Over time, this pattern can make the body more sensitive to changes in carbon dioxide (CO₂). People with panic disorder often develop a heightened sensitivity to these changes, which can trigger feelings of suffocation and panic even when there is no real danger.  

This sensitivity explains why one of the most common fears during a panic attack is the fear of not being able to breathe or of having another attack. The body reacts to these sensations as if something life‑threatening is happening, even though it isn’t.  

Research shows that some effective breathing techniques for panic attacks can help break this cycle. A 2018 review found that slow, diaphragmatic breathing can be as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in reducing symptoms of panic attacks. 

When you slow your breathing and restore healthy CO₂ levels, the body begins to relax, and the brain receives a signal that it is safe. Controlled breathing also activates the vagus nerve, which helps slow the heart rate and lower stress hormones.  

So, does breathing exercise help panic attacks? Yes, especially when practiced regularly. Breathing exercises for anxiety and panic attacks help restore balance, improve oxygen delivery, and increase CO₂ tolerance. With time, they can reduce both the intensity and frequency of panic episodes.  

So, what is the most effective breathing technique for managing panic attacks? 

The Best Breathing Technique for Panic Attack Relief: The Buteyko Method 

When panic strikes, many people instinctively try to take deep breaths to calm down. While deep or diaphragmatic breathing for panic attacks can be helpful, the most effective and sustainable results often come from a more refined approach, the Buteyko Method. 

Developed in the 1950s by Ukrainian doctor Konstantin Buteyko, this method focuses on calm, nasal, and reduced breathing. It trains the body to take in just the right amount of air, helping to restore balance and prevent the over‑breathing that often fuels panic and anxiety.  

People with panic disorder often breathe too quickly from the upper chest, which lowers carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels. This imbalance can cause dizziness, breathlessness, and a sense of suffocation. The Buteyko Method helps correct this by teaching gentle, controlled breathing that keeps CO₂ levels stable and signals safety to the brain.  

Here’s why Buteyko is considered one of the best breathing methods for panic attacks:  

• Encourages light, slow, nasal breathing to prevent hyperventilation  
• Helps normalize CO₂ levels and improve oxygen delivery to the brain  
• Activates the vagus nerve, calming the heart rate and nervous system  
• Reduces the intensity and frequency of panic episodes over time  
• Supports better sleep, focus, and emotional balance 

Compared to other breathing techniques, Buteyko’s focus on light, reduced breathing makes it especially effective for panic and anxiety. It doesn’t just calm you in the moment but also retrains your breathing patterns to prevent future attacks.  

Simple Buteyko Breathing Exercises for Panic Attacks

When panic or anxiety strikes, the breath often becomes fast and shallow, which lowers carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and increases feelings of fear and suffocation.

Practicing simple breathing exercises for panic attacks can help restore calm, balance your breathing, and prevent future episodes.  

Below are three easy breathing exercises for anxiety based on the Buteyko Method. These techniques can be used to stop a panic attack in progress, reduce anxiety afterward, or prevent future attacks by retraining your breathing patterns.  

1. Cupped Hands Rescue Breath 

This is one of the most effective breathing exercises to stop panic attacks when symptoms first appear. It’s similar to the old “paper bag” method but much safer, as it helps you maintain oxygen levels while restoring CO₂ balance.  

How to do it:  

• Sit comfortably or lie down on your back.  
• Cup your hands loosely over your nose and mouth, making sure there are no big gaps.  
• Breathe softly through your nose with short, gentle inhales and slow, calm exhales.  
• Try a rhythm of about 3 seconds in and 3 seconds out.  
• Feel your lower ribs expand gently as you inhale and contract as you exhale.  
• Continue for about 2 minutes or until your breathing feels calmer. 

This exercise helps calm your breathing during a panic attack and can also be used as a breathing exercise after a panic attack to restore balance.  

2. Many Small Breath Holds 

This gentle exercise helps stabilize your breathing and calm your nervous system. It can be done anytime you feel anxious or notice early signs of panic.  

How to do it:  

• Breathe in and out gently through your nose.  
• After exhaling, hold your breath for 2 to 5 seconds at most.  
• Then breathe normally for 10 to 15 seconds.  
• Repeat this pattern until you feel your breathing slow down and your body relax. 

Practicing this regularly helps normalize CO₂ levels and prevent over‑breathing. It’s one of the best breathing techniques for panic attacks because it’s simple, safe, and effective even during mild anxiety.  

3. Slow and Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing 

This is a soothing exercise that helps reduce air hunger and feelings of suffocation. It’s also useful after a panic attack to help your body recover and return to a relaxed state.  

How to do it:  

• Sit upright or lie flat with one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.  
• Inhale lightly through your nose for 3 seconds, allowing your lower ribs to expand.  
• Exhale gently for 3 seconds, feeling your ribs contract.  
• Once you are comfortable, slow your breathing further by inhaling for 5 seconds and exhaling for 5 seconds.  
• Continue for at least 5 minutes or until you feel calm. 

This technique is a gentle form of deep breathing for panic attacks and helps activate the body’s relaxation response.  

Take Control of Panic with the Power of Your Breathing 

Yes, breathing exercises do help with panic attacks. They calm the mind, steady the breath, and restore balance to your body, offering a simple and natural way to regain control.  

The Buteyko Method is one of the most effective approaches for lasting relief. It retrains your breathing to be calm, nasal, and reduced, which helps prevent overbreathing, balance carbon dioxide levels, and stop panic before it begins.  

If you are looking for what you can do naturally for panic attacks, start here. Learn to manage anxiety and panic with proven, science-based techniques in the Buteyko Online Course for Anxiety, created by world-renowned breathing expert Patrick McKeown.  

Your breath is your natural anchor. With the Buteyko Method, you can calm panic attacks naturally and take back control, one gentle breath at a time. You can also get more online breathing courses.