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Questions
Which breath, for which moment
42 real questions, each answered the way the book answers them: the direct answer first, the steps, when not to, what the research says, and an honest word about the other methods people use. In Eric’s voice.
Two rules, no exceptions
Never practice any technique on this site while you are driving, operating machinery, or doing anything that needs your full attention. The slow ones can make you drowsy, faster than you’d expect. And never practice a breath-hold, bellows breath, or any vigorous breathing in or near water. Read Before you begin for the doctor’s list and the rest.
Right now
The minute it is happening
Before you perform
Stages, booths, interviews, exams, fields
- How do I breathe before public speaking?
- What helps stage fright in the minute before you go on?
- How do singers breathe to stay calm before a take or a show?
- How should I breathe before a job interview?
- What breathing helps with test anxiety before and during an exam?
- How should athletes breathe before competition?
- How do I control my breathing while I'm actually talking?
- How do I handle audition nerves in the waiting room?
The workday
Desks, meetings, hard conversations, other people’s weather
- What's a quick breathing exercise I can do at my desk?
- How do I stay calm in a meeting that won't end?
- How do I breathe before a difficult conversation?
- How do I stay calm when someone is yelling at me?
- What breathing helps caregivers, nurses and teachers get through a shift?
- What do I do when I'm exhausted but too wired to rest?
Night
Falling asleep, 3 a.m., racing thoughts
The body
Blood pressure, a pounding heart, procedures, pain, air hunger
- Can breathing exercises lower blood pressure?
- What breathing slows a racing or pounding heart?
- How do I breathe at the dentist or during a medical procedure?
- What breathing helps with needles and blood draws?
- Does slow breathing help with pain?
- Why can't I take a satisfying deep breath, and what helps?
- Do breathing exercises help asthma?
Life
Grief, new babies, money, kids, stuttering, waiting, flying
- Is there a breathing practice for grief?
- What breathing helps new parents at 3 a.m. with a crying baby?
- How do I breathe through money stress and bad financial news?
- How do I teach a child to calm down with breathing?
- Can breathing help stuttering?
- How do I stay calm while waiting for results, a call, or a verdict?
- What breathing helps with fear of flying?
- How do I breathe during an argument with my partner?
- Can breathing exercises help with ADHD or focus?
Practicing
How long, how often, and what is normal
Can’t find your question? The Quick Chooser maps situations to techniques, the FAQ has the questions early readers asked, and the contact form reaches Eric.