Psychotherapist Walks Us Through ‘Pursed Lip’ Breathing To Combat Anxiety – Glam

Need a respite from daily stress? Happily, the pursed lip breathing technique couldn’t get any easier. “It’s … basically just breathing in through your nose as usual, then puckering those lips together and exhaling slowly through that contracted mouth opening. Like you’re gently blowing out a candle flame,” Claire Law exclusively explained to Glam. Sound too good to be true? Law broke down how this simple practice actually makes a profound impact on your body’s stress response.

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As Law clarified, a long exhale slows and regulates your breathing pattern. “Rapid, shallow chest breathing is one of the classic hallmarks of anxiety that kicks your nervous system into fight-or-flight mode. But by keeping your exhale slow and controlled, you’re manually signaling to your body that it’s time to chill out,” Law detailed. This mindful breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which sends reassuring safety signals to your brain.

And that’s not all pursed lip breathing does. Law added, “That extended exhale also gives you a chance to fully engage your diaphragm … which helps prevent over-breathing and the dizzying lightheadedness that often comes alongside panic attacks.” If you’ve ever found yourself helplessly hyperventilating in a stressful moment, you can imagine how important this reset can be. Essentially, pursed lip breathing stymies your internal stress responses to physically induce calm. “The chest unclenches, the heart starts calming down, and those looping whirlwind thoughts can finally settle,” Law said.

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