Deep Breathing Exercise: 3 Slow Breaths a Day

A deep breathing exercise you can do anywhere

Written by Evaari Team · Updated: October 29, 2026
Reviewed by the Evaari editorial team (editorial review, not clinical review). This page is not medical advice.

A simple deep breathing exercise: breathe in slowly through your nose for about four seconds, let your belly expand, then breathe out even more slowly for about six seconds. Do three breaths. Use it at a fixed moment — before opening email or before sleep. Research links slow breathing with a calmer body state.

What does slow breathing do?

When you breathe slowly — around six breaths per minute or fewer — your body tends to shift toward a calmer state. A 2018 systematic review of studies on slow breathing found links with increased heart rate variability and feelings of relaxation, comfort and alertness, and reduced anxiety and arousal.

Breathing is the one part of your stress response you can steer directly, at any moment, without anyone noticing. Three breaths take about 30 seconds.

The technique: in through the nose for about 4 counts, belly expands; out through the mouth or nose for about 6 counts. Longer out-breaths are the key.

Start tiny: easier → usual → step up

Easier	Usual	Step up
1 slow breath	3 slow breaths	1 minute of slow breathing

On a tired or busy day, do the easier version — it fully counts. When the usual version has felt easy for about two weeks, try a step up. If the bigger version starts slipping, step back down without guilt.

How to start in 3 steps

Pick your anchor. Before you open your email or messages for the first time each day.
Do only the tiny version for the first week: 1 slow breath. That's a full win.
Mark it right away. Tick it off in Evaari or on a paper habit tracker. Seeing the tick is part of the reward.

Best time: at any time of day. It takes about 1 min.

What gets in the way (and what to do)

If you forget, attach it to something that happens many times a day — opening email, unlocking your phone, waiting for a kettle.
If it makes you lightheaded, breathe more gently and don't force deep breaths. Return to normal breathing anytime.
If you feel silly, nobody can tell you're breathing slowly. Do it with your eyes open.
If anxiety is intense or frequent, breathing can help in the moment, but please also talk to a professional.

Which area of life does it support?

Deep breathing belongs to the Mind sphere. Evaari has it as a ready-made step (“3 slow breaths”) with all three versions built in. Each time you tick it off, your Evaari gets +10 light and your Mind score grows a little, filling your Wheel of Life. See more mind habits, or check your balance with the free Wheel of Life test.

What pairs well with it?

Before: focus sessions — breathe at the end of a focus session to reset.
After: choosing one main task — from that calmer state, pick your one main task.

Want the full method? Read how to build a habit that sticks, or see how Evaari works.

Questions people ask

What is the best breathing exercise for stress?

Slow breathing with a longer exhale is simple and well studied: breathe in for about 4 seconds, out for about 6, for one to five minutes. Different methods exist, but the common element is slowing down to roughly six breaths per minute.

How long should I do deep breathing?

Even three slow breaths can help you pause. For a stronger effect, try one to five minutes. The best length is the one you'll repeat daily, so start small.