Anxiety exercises

Every exercise on the site, in one place. Each one runs in your browser — no account, no download, nothing to install. Pick the one that matches the moment you are in.

Breathing timers

A guided timer keeps the rhythm so you do not have to count. Start with the pattern that fits what you need: a long exhale to settle, a square rhythm to stay composed, 4-7-8 to wind down.

Grounding

When your attention has run ahead into what-ifs, grounding brings it back to the room you are actually in. Nothing to hold, nothing to say out loud.

Face and eye release

Anxiety tightens the jaw, the brow and the small muscles around the eyes, usually without you noticing. These are short guided videos for letting that go — discreet enough to do at a desk.

Guided sequences

Longer, fully guided runs where the page paces you step by step — for when you would rather be led than choose.

Written tools

For the anxiety that keeps circling rather than spiking. Writing gives the loop somewhere to go — and makes it possible to argue with.

Inhale for 4, exhale for 8Two horizontal bars compared: a short inhale bar and a exhale bar twice as long, with an arrow curving back to a calm marker.Inhalecount 4Exhalecount 8longer exhale, calmer body signal
A longer exhale than inhale Breathing out for longer than you breathe in is thought to nudge the body toward a calmer state. A 2018 review of slow-breathing studies found this pattern is linked with lower arousal, though effects vary between people.

Research: Zaccaro A. et al. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

How to choose in ten seconds

If your heart is racing or you are close to panic, start with the slow exhale — lengthening the out-breath is the most studied of the quick techniques. If your thoughts are spiralling rather than your body, use 5-4-3-2-1 grounding instead. If you are lying awake, 4-7-8 is the one built for winding down. If you are at a desk with people around, the face and eye releases are invisible to anyone watching. And if none of that fits, the breathing timer page lets you try each rhythm and see which one your body answers to.

Why these and not fifty others

There are hundreds of calming techniques. The ones here share three things: they can be done in a browser with nothing but your attention, they take two minutes rather than twenty, and there is published research behind the pattern itself. Anything that needed equipment, training, or a leap of faith was left out. How that filter works in practice is written up in our evidence standards.

Common questions

Are all the anxiety tools really free?

Yes — every tool on this page is free, with no account, no email, and no download. There is no paid tier and no trial. The site runs on voluntary donations, which is why nothing is locked.

Which tool should I use during a panic attack?

Start with slow exhale breathing, then add grounding once the peak begins to pass. A panic attack rises and then fades on its own; the exercises are there to give your body signals of safety while it does. If panic attacks are frequent, that is worth discussing with a doctor or therapist — these tools are self-help, not treatment.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Every exercise runs in the browser tab you are already in, on a phone or a laptop. There is also a Telegram bot with the same practices if you prefer them there.

← All practices

This is not therapy. These exercises help in the moment, but they do not replace professional care. If anxiety limits your daily life, please talk to a specialist. Safety Guidelines →
In crisis? If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number now. Free, confidential helplines: