One physiological sigh, one Trap Door, and a decision to let the body be as lit up as it is. Stage fright and readiness are the same chemistry; the difference is whether you brace against it. The last minute is too late to be calm and exactly the right time to be released.
The steps
- Stand with knees soft. Hands open, not gripped.
- One physiological sigh: two inhales, one long exhale.
- Attention down to the belly. Lungs empty. One easy inhale.
- On the exhale, let the floor drop under whatever you are holding. That is the Trap Door.
- Say the slate: one factual sentence about what you are about to do. Then do it.
When not to, and when to get help instead
Nothing with a breath-hold if panic is in your history. If the fear is so large you cannot work, that is performance anxiety and it is treatable; a therapist who works with performers, and sometimes a doctor, is the right next step.
What the research says
Arousal and performance are not opposites; moderate arousal helps most skilled tasks, and the research on reappraisal (telling yourself you are excited rather than calm) consistently beats trying to relax. The exhale lowers the sympathetic surge just enough to keep fine motor control. The Trap Door itself is craft from thirty years of red lights, labeled as such.
Other methods people use
A pre-show ritual of any kind helps, because it hands the mind a job. Beta blockers are common among classical musicians; that is a medical conversation. Alcohol is the worst of the popular options and every performer knows it.
Questions people also ask
Is it possible to get rid of stage fright completely?
For most working performers, no, and most would not want to; the charge is part of the work. What goes away with practice is the bracing against it.
What is the fastest way to calm nerves before performing?
One physiological sigh. Four seconds. Then stop trying to be calm and let yourself be ready.
In the book
Techniques
Rooms
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.
More in “Before you perform”
- How do I breathe before public speaking?
- 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?
Written by Eric Bradley. Last reviewed October 2026. One performer’s craft, offered for general information; not medical advice, mental health treatment, or a substitute for care.