An Introduction to Breathwork: Find What Works for You

Beam Editorial Team · Published 7 August 2026

At some point today, probably without noticing, you sighed. Your shoulders dropped, your jaw loosened, and for a moment something in you settled. That small, ordinary moment is the whole idea behind breathwork.

If you are new to it, here is the short version. Breathwork simply means breathing on purpose, usually more slowly and evenly than you would by default, to help your body and mind calm down. There is no single best technique. Different rhythms suit different moments and different bodies, so the kindest approach is to try a few, gently, and keep whichever one feels good. Below are four techniques you will find in the Beam app, described plainly so you can work out where to start.

Why breathing on purpose helps

Your breath is unusual. It runs automatically all day, yet it is also always within reach. You cannot decide to slow your heart rate, but you can decide to lengthen your next exhale. Many people find that when the breath slows, the rest of them follows: shoulders, stomach, racing thoughts.

Breathwork also asks very little of you. There is no equipment, no special room and no flexibility required. Sitting, lying down, in a wheelchair, halfway through a difficult afternoon: your breath is already there. A few quiet minutes is enough to notice something, and if you notice nothing at all on a given day, that is fine too. This is a practice, not a test.

Coherent breathing: slow, even and unhurried

Coherent breathing is perhaps the gentlest place to start. You breathe in and out at a slow, even pace, roughly five or six breaths a minute, with no holds and nothing to count beyond a soft "in... and out". In for about five seconds, out for about five seconds, over and over, like waves arriving and leaving the shore at the same unhurried rate.

Because there is nothing to hold and no pattern to remember, it is easy to sink into. Many people find it suits quiet, settled moments best: the end of the day, resting in bed before sleep, or any stretch of time when you want to slow down rather than snap out of something. If evenings are when your head gets loud, it pairs naturally with the ideas in our post on what helps when your mind will not switch off at night.

5-finger breathing: a breath you can feel

5-finger breathing adds touch. Hold one hand out in front of you, or rest it in your lap. With a finger from your other hand, trace slowly up the outside of your thumb as you breathe in, then down the other side as you breathe out. Carry on up and down each finger until you have traced your whole hand, then, if you like, come back the other way.

This is a kind, genuinely accessible option, and for many people it is the easiest of the four. If counting feels like hard work, or your attention slides off numbers, the tracing does the pacing for you. Your eyes and your fingertips are gently occupied, which makes it especially steadying in tense moments: waiting rooms, difficult conversations, that swell of overwhelm that arrives out of nowhere. Children are often taught it, but it is not a children's technique. It is simply a good one.

Box breathing: four equal sides

Box breathing gives the breath a shape. You breathe in for a count of about four, hold for four, breathe out for four, and rest for four before the next breath, as if tracing the four sides of a square. Then you go round again.

The structure is the point. Counting the sides gives your mind a simple job, which many people find steadying when stress spikes and thoughts start to scatter. It has a reputation as the technique people reach for in high-pressure moments, and it can feel more active and focusing than coherent breathing. If the holds feel uncomfortable, shorten every side to a count of three, or skip the holds entirely. The pattern should feel steady, never like a struggle.

The physiological sigh: a quick reset

The physiological sigh is the deliberate version of the sigh you took earlier. Breathe in through your nose, and when you feel nearly full, take one more short sip of air on top. Then let it all go in one long, slow exhale, through the mouth if that feels natural.

That is the whole technique. One to three of these is plenty. It suits a sudden spike of stress or frustration: the sharp email, the near miss, the moment before you walk into a room. Where the other techniques are something you settle into, this one is a reset you press and then carry on with your day.

Choosing what works for you

There is no ranking here. A rough guide, if it helps: coherent breathing for settling and winding down, the physiological sigh for a fast reset, box breathing when you want to feel steady and focused, and 5-finger breathing when you would rather feel your way than count. You might use different ones on different days, or settle on a single favourite and never touch the rest. Both are fine.

Two gentle notes. Breathwork should always feel comfortable, so if you ever feel dizzy or short of breath, let your breathing return to normal and try a softer pace another time. And if you are curious about what a calmer breath can do for a busy head more generally, our post on how breathwork can help clear the mind picks up that thread.

Practising with Beam

All four of these techniques are available as guided sessions in Beam, with a calm voice and gentle visuals to pace you, so you never have to hold the instructions in your head. Try each one once, notice how you feel afterwards, and let that be your guide.

However you begin, keep it small. One hand, one square, one sigh, one slow wave of breath. That is already breathwork.

This article is for general wellbeing and educational purposes. It is not medical advice, and it is not a treatment for any condition. If you are managing a health condition or have any concerns, please talk to your GP or healthcare professional before making changes.

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