Top 10 breathwork tips.

1. 01

   Breathe through your nose

   Your nose filters and warms the air and naturally slows each breath. Keep the mouth closed unless a practice asks otherwise.

2. 02

   Breathe low, into the belly

   Rest a hand on your stomach. Let it rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out, with your shoulders staying soft.

3. 03

   Slow down to about six breaths a minute

   Five seconds in, five seconds out. This slow rhythm is linked with a calmer heart rate and better heart rate variability.

4. 04

   Make the out-breath longer

   Try four in and six out. A long, unhurried exhale is one of the quickest ways to tell your body it's safe to settle.

5. 05

   Little and often beats long and rare

   Five minutes a day does more than an hour once a month. In a Stanford study, five daily minutes of exhale-focused breathing lifted mood within a month.

6. 06

   Tie it to something you already do

   Breathe for two minutes after brushing your teeth, before opening your phone, or when the kettle goes on. Habits stick to habits.

7. 07

   Keep a sigh in your pocket

   Feeling wound up? Take a full breath in through the nose, a short top-up sip, then a long sigh out through the mouth. One to three rounds.

8. 08

   Count your way back to now

   Counting gives the mind a job. When it wanders, and it will, notice, let the thought go and return to the count. That return is the practice.

9. 09

   Feel it, don't force it

   Breathwork should feel comfortable. If you get dizzy or anxious, stop, breathe normally and go gentler next time.

10. 10

    Set an intention and notice the change

    Before you start, choose one aim: calm, focus or sleep. Afterwards, notice how you feel. Seeing the difference keeps you coming back.

These tips are for general wellbeing, not medical advice. Never practise breath holds in water or while driving, and see the safety notes below if you have a health condition.