Are Breathing Exercises Worth Doing?

Breathing exercises are beneficial and can work for everyone. Whether you're an athlete preparing for competition, a business professional heading into a challenging conversation, or someone looking for better sleep. Breathing techniques can give you an edge and may be the difference between success and failure.

Suppose you've ever been in a high-stakes situation. In that case, you've felt the surge of adrenaline before a big presentation or stepping onto the competition floor, the pounding heart, the shallow breathing. Your body reacts as if it’s under attack, and in many ways, it is, due to stress.

I know this feeling well. As a special operations Blackhawk pilot, I relied on breathing techniques to manage stress during high-pressure situations with zero margin for error. Whether landing a helicopter in a tight urban intersection or inserting a team into hostile territory, my fine motor skills, decision-making, and ability to stay calm under pressure were non-negotiable. 

Controlling my breath was the first step to controlling everything else.

The best breathing exercises for stress relief

When stress hits, your body shifts into fight-or-flight mode. It's an ancient survival mechanism that was useful for escaping grisly bears but isn’t particularly helpful for modern-day stressors that require steadfast composure to perform at a high level. Breathing exercises are a way to hack this system. It's how we can signal to our brain that we’re safe and in control.

Here are three of my favorite breathing techniques to calm my nervous system and improve performance under pressure:

1. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4 Method)

Best for: High-pressure situations, enhancing focus and clarity.

Box breathing is a go-to technique for special operators because it lowers your heart rate, controls adrenaline, and preserves fine motor skills. I also love using it in the Ice Barrel. 

Give it a try:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Repeat for 1-5 minutes

2. Physiological sigh

Best for: Instant stress relief, calming nerves before a big moment.

Have you ever noticed that after crying, you take a big inhale followed by a sigh? That’s your body's natural way of resetting. Neuroscientists have found that two quick inhales through the nose and a slow exhale through the mouth are the fastest way to calm your nervous system.

Try it:

• Inhale entirely through your nose
• Take a second, sharp inhale to fill your lungs completely
• Exhale slowly through your mouth

This method rapidly lowers cortisol (your stress hormone) and can be used before high-stakes moments.

3. 4-7-8 Breathing

Best for: Reducing anxiety and promoting better sleep.

This technique, made famous by Dr. Andrew Weil, slows the nervous system and promotes relaxation:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds
• Repeat for 4-8 cycles

This is one of the best sleep techniques. It shifts the body into parasympathetic mode (rest and digest). Try it before bed if you’ve ever struggled to fall asleep after a stressful day.

Can breathing exercises improve sleep quality?

Absolutely. An overactive nervous system is one of the biggest culprits behind poor sleep. Falling asleep is nearly impossible if your body is still in “go mode” when you lie down.

Practicing deep breathing before bed lowers your heart rate, reduces stress hormones, and helps quiet the mind—all necessary for quality sleep. Techniques like 4-7-8 breathing or box breathing can be part of a nightly wind-down routine to help you fall asleep faster and sleep deeper.

Breathe to perform, in any situation

Breathing exercises aren’t a new-age trend. They’re proven physiological tools that high performers, such as professional athletes, chess grandmasters, and tier-one special operators, use to stay calm, focused, and in control.

Whether you land a helicopter in downtown LA, negotiate a raise, or ask someone out on a date, your breath is your anchor. Mastering it is the first step in mastering yourself. 

If you want to learn more about the power of breathing, I highly recommend Patrick McKenna's The Oxygen Advantage.