Breathing exercises: free guided techniques
Breathing is the only lever you have on your autonomic nervous system. By consciously changing how you breathe, you can calm anxiety in 90 seconds, sharpen your focus in 3 minutes, or prepare your body for sleep. Here are the most effective techniques.
Breathing is the only lever you have on your autonomic nervous system. By consciously changing how you breathe, you can calm anxiety in 90 seconds, sharpen your focus in 3 minutes, or prepare your body for sleep.
Breathing is the only lever you have on your autonomic nervous system. By consciously changing how you breathe, you can calm anxiety in 90 seconds, sharpen your focus in 3 minutes, or prepare your body for sleep.
Why breathing changes everything
When you're stressed, your breathing becomes short and shallow. Your brain reads this as a danger signal and amplifies the anxiety - it's a vicious cycle.
Controlled breathing breaks this cycle. A prolonged exhale stimulates the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic system: heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, cortisol falls. In 90 seconds, your body switches from "fight" mode to "rest" mode.
Nala offers 6 breathing exercises entirely free: Cardiac coherence, 4-7-8, Box breathing, Breath of fire, Alternate breathing, and Calming breath. Each serves a different purpose. For deeper practice, explore cardiac coherence in detail, our anxiety meditations, or our panic attack help guide.
The 6 breathing techniques in Nala
1. Cardiac coherence (5-5) - 5 seconds inhale, 5 seconds exhale for 5 minutes. Synchronises heart and brain. Measurable effects lasting 4 to 6 hours. Ideal as a morning and evening routine.
2. 4-7-8 breathing - Inhale 4s, hold 7s, exhale 8s. The go-to technique for insomnia: the extended exhale triggers drowsiness within a few cycles.
3. Box breathing (4-4-4-4) - Square and regular: inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 4s, hold 4s. Used by Navy SEALs to stay calm under pressure.
4. Breath of fire - Rapid, powerful exhales through the nose. Energising, it boosts alertness and mental clarity. Perfect before an important meeting.
5. Alternate breathing - Alternate right and left nostrils. Balances the cerebral hemispheres and calms the restless mind. Derived from yogic pranayama.
6. Calming breath - Short inhale, very long exhale (1:3 ratio). The gentlest technique, ideal for beginners and moments of mild tension.
How Nala guides your breathing
Each exercise comes with a visual animation that expands and contracts at the exact breathing rhythm. No need to count: just follow the movement. Nala adds gentle voice guidance for beginners.
All breathing exercises are 100% free, with no usage limits. Noam supports you during intense stress with the free SOS, which combines breathing and sensory grounding. Soren weaves these same techniques into evening stories to guide you toward sleep.
For deeper work, the Anxiety programme (21 sessions) and The Basics programme (10 sessions) integrate these breathing exercises into a structured path. Combine with work stress meditation for maximum effect. Price: €9.99/month or €59.99/year.
- Content written by the Nala team, based on peer-reviewed neuroscience and psychology literature
- Last verified: March 2026
- Nala is not a medical device. Consult a healthcare professional if needed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Last updated: March 2026