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In a go-go-go world, it's all too easy to get stuck in fight-or-flight mode, even when you're not facing any true threats. But if you make a conscious effort to step back, slow down and let your brain work its magic, you can find the kind of peace and calm that can change your entire state of being.

Five-finger breathing is a deep relaxation and breathing that can help you do just that.

Pain specialist and behavioral medicine psychologist Judith Scheman, PhD, explains what this is, how to do it and how it can help you relax, unwind and even manage pain.

What is five-finger breathing?

Five-finger breathing is a simple but powerful breathing technique that induces deep relaxation - and you can do just about anywhere (though, not while driving or operating other heavy machinery, please).

Unlike other types of breathwork, five-finger breathing is a multisensory experience where you concentrate on more than just your breath. You also focus on the movement and sensation of one hand touching another, slowly and with intentionality.

This helps your brain enter a state of deep relaxation, which causes it to release endorphins. "Endorphins are the body's natural painkillers," Dr. Scheman explains. "They're chemically identical to opioids, but they don't cause constipation, or sometimes itching, nausea or vomiting, and they don't disrupt your sleep or your immune system."

In other words, you can think of endorphins as your body's safe, all-natural drug - and deep relaxation is the factory where that drug is made.

Benefits of five-finger breathing

Breathwork techniques trigger your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of your brain responsible for resting, relaxing and resetting. When you're tense, overwhelmed or amped up, these techniques help move you out of fight-or-flight mode and into a calmer state of being.

And although anyone can benefit from five-finger breathing, it's especially beneficial to people who are headed into surgery or who are recovering from a recent procedure.

"You might do this relaxation technique with your eyes closed as soon as they start to take you back to the operating room," Dr. Scheman suggests. "This will allow you to go into surgery very deeply relaxed."

Deep relaxation techniques like five-finger breathing have been shown to:

Relieve stress and anxiety. When your parasympathetic nervous system is active, you can take your focus away from worries and stressors. Reducing anxiety and stress can reduce inflammation and help our immune system.

Relax your body. "Research shows that people who go into surgery in a deeply relaxed state need less sedation prior to receiving general anesthesia," Dr. Scheman says. This means you'll get your brain back faster after surgery or a procedure.

Reduce pain. Opioids (narcotics) can, in some people, be extremely addictive. But using deep relaxation techniques before and after major surgery can minimize the need for opioids to manage your pain.

Promote healing. Practicing deep relaxation techniques after surgery may also help you get back on your feet sooner. "People who practice deep relaxation three or four times a day every day after surgery have been shown to heal significantly faster from their surgical wounds," Dr. Scheman notes.

Promote sleep. "Patients also report that it helps them sleep through the night, sometimes even in the hospital," she adds.

How to do five-finger breathing

If you're new to this practice, you may wish to begin by using guided audio or video. Once you've gotten the hang of it, you can do it on your own any time you need to relax.

Dr. Scheman walks us through the steps of five-finger breathing.

1. Ready your hands

Five-finger breathing requires the use of two hands. One hand will be your base (this hand won't move) and the other will be used to trace your fingers (this one will move). It doesn't matter which is which, but you may find it easiest to use your dominant hand - the one you write with - for tracing.

To start, hold your base hand in front of you with your fingers spread comfortably apart.

2. Start tracing your thumb

Place the index finger of your tracing hand at the bottom of the thumb of your base hand - right where your thumb meets your wrist - and begin slowly moving your index finger up to the tip of your thumb.

"As you move your finger up your thumb, take a slow breath in, perhaps allowing your eyes to close," Dr. Scheman instructs.

When you reach the top of your thumb, do the opposite: Slowly drag your index finger down the other side of your thumb while exhaling.

3. Keep going, focusing on your breath

When you're done tracing your thumb, move on to tracing your index finger in the same way - then your middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger.

As you trace each one, continue to breathe deeply and slowly. "Let yourself relax as you breathe gently," Dr. Scheman encourages. "Become more and more deeply relaxed each time you exhale."

4. Change direction

When you've traced your whole hand and reached the bottom of your pinky finger, reverse directions and go back the way you came, moving toward your thumb.

Continue to take slow breaths in and out, focusing on your breath and on the sensation of your index finger tracing your skin. "Let go a little bit more with every exhale," she says.

Allow yourself to relax as much as you possibly can, with your breath as your guide.

5. Let yourself relax

Continue the practice as long as you need. "When you're ready, you may open your eyes, bringing with you any relaxation that you've found," Dr. Scheman says.

Try not to rush into whatever you do next (unless it involves falling asleep). Give yourself the time to revel in your relaxation and let it wash over you.

Teaching a child to do five-finger breathing

It can be hard to get kids to sit still, much less meditate or learn typical breathwork techniques. But five-finger breathing is a simple activity that kids can comprehend, making it a helpful tool for teaching them to calm down and regulate their emotions.

In short, the five-finger breathing technique is for anyone who wants to step back from the frenzy and fervor that life can sometimes bring.

"Add this practice into your schedule, and at end of the day, you can look back and think of it as something you did to take care of yourself," Dr. Scheman says.

To hear more on this topic, listen to the Health Essentials Podcast episode, "Breathwork for Beginners." New episodes of the Health Essentials Podcast publish every Wednesday.

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How Five-Finger Breathing Can Bring on Deep Relaxation

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Five-finger breathing is a breathing technique and a form of deep relaxation that nearly anyone can do, almost anywhere and at any time. Here's what it is, how to do it and how it can help you relax, unwind and even manage pain.

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Additional info on cold therapies for fast, temporary relief from panic attacks

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Additional info on cold therapies for fast, temporary relief from panic attacks

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Key points

Anxiety makes us hot under the collar, but evolution has a mechanism to cool us down: the diver's reflex.

At certain temperatures, water triggers an immediate decrease in heart rate.

Activating the diver's reflex gives us a real-time way to reset an overactive nervous system.

Anxiety makes us feel "hot under the collar." But evolution has provided a mechanism to help cool us down. Enter the diver's reflex or the mammalian diving response, the body's physiological response to acute submersion in cold water.

Scientists have long known that aquatic mammals, such as seals, whales, dolphins, and otters can override basic homeostatic reflexes that keep an organism in optimal functioning to survive for long periods under the ocean's surface. But it wasn't until the mid-20th century when an Italian Air Force lieutenant named Raimondo Bucher took a bet that he could free-dive 100 feet down and back to the surface without his lungs collapsing, that scientists realized water may have a preservation effect on humans. Research by Per Scholander (1962) confirmed this idea-particularly, that at certain temperatures, water triggers an immediate decrease in heart rate.

If you've had the not-so-pleasant of feeling anxious, you'll know how much anxiety impacts your heart-the pounding, the skipped beats, the elephant's weight crushing down. This is because your nervous system, an involuntary and reflexive "behind-the-scenes" mechanism that helps to keep humans alive, is stuck on hyper-alert and kicked you out of your "window of tolerance," which is a person's optimal arousal zone.

Anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system. But there is a co-equal branch called the parasympathetic nervous system, or what is often referred to as the "rest and digest," "feed and breed," or "tend and befriend" system because it dampens sympathetic responses and keeps the body in a restorative and resting state.

When Cold Water Hits the Face

In 2015, scientists (Godek and Freeman, 2022) found that the diver's reflex occurs from signals sent by the trigeminal nerves in the face. When cold water hits the face-and it must get just below the eyes and above the cheekbones-a message is sent to the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve, which controls the parasympathetic nervous system, connects the base of the brain to the rest of the body and regulates the heart rate and breathing, among other essential functions. Net: Cold water on our face, short-circuits anxiety.

Activating the diver's reflex gives us a real-time, sure-fire way to reset an overactive (or hyper-aroused) nervous system-and the good news is that you don't have to take up free-diving. The next time you feel especially anxious or stressed, try one of these techniques:

Fill a large bowl with icy water and, while holding your breath, plunge your face in for 30 seconds. (If you are uncomfortable holding your breath that long, either physically or mentally, try one of the alternatives below.)

Try finishing your next shower with 30 seconds of cold water. If that seems too jarring, you can ease yourself into it by submerging only your face in cold water.

Place ice cubes in a Ziploc bag and press it against your face while holding your breath for a count of 6 to 8 seconds (Make sure the bag covers your eyes and the space above your cheekbones). Repeat if necessary. A bag of frozen vegetables will also do the trick.

One caveat: Because this technique will slow down your heart rate, anyone with a history of a slow heartbeat should check with their physician before trying.

Humans are hardwired for self-preservation through the nervous system. When this system thinks we're in danger, it kicks into gear to help us survive. But sometimes our body's physiological "gas pedal" gets stuck against the floor, and we find ourselves careening down Stress Highway, growing more anxious and irritable. When this happens, just take a detour by engaging the diver's reflex. In 30 seconds, you'll be feeling a cool and calming breeze.

This article comes from my upcoming book, Holding Onto Air: The Art and Science of Building a Resilient Spirit.

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Yes, You Can Get Instant Relief for Anxiety

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Anxiety makes us feel hot under the collar. But evolution has provided a mechanism to help cool us down. Enter the diver's reflex.

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Walk through of "The Calm-Down Method". A short and easy-to-follow resource to listen to when feeling overwhelmed. Also, the audio is very calming =)

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Walk through of "The Calm-Down Method". A short and easy-to-follow resource to listen to when feeling overwhelmed. Also, the audio is very calming =)

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So, You're Having an Anxiety Attack (The Calm-Down Method for Stopping Anxiety Attacks)

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Brief guided meditation video aimed at regaining focus for work or school activities

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Brief guided meditation video aimed at regaining focus for work or school activities

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Free 2-Minute Quick Focus Reset Meditation: Regain Focus to Work, Study, or Get Tasks Done

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Figure 8 breathing with tactile sensation from tracing

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Figure 8 breathing with tactile sensation from tracing

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Figure 8 Breathing Technique | CHE Behavioral Health Services

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How to use 'Figure 8 Breathing' to calm anxiety and anxious feelings.

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Guided mindfulness technique with external focus (focus on object in the environment not within yourself). 

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Guided mindfulness technique with external focus (focus on object in the environment not within yourself). 

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Meditation to improve your FOCUS | Single Object Mindfulness | DBT Skills

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More on cold therapy strategies and vagus nerve stimulation

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More on cold therapy strategies and vagus nerve stimulation

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If you experience anxiety symptoms, research shows that icing your vagus nerve can slow down your heart rate and signal your body to relax.

One current trend that you may have heard about is icing your vagus nerve. This is when you lay a cold compress on your chest or the back of your neck to help stimulate your vagus nerve in hopes it will signal your body to relax.

If you're not familiar with your vagus nerve, or how icing it can offer you anxiety-reducing benefits, then it's worth learning a little more about it.

Your vagus nerve runs from your brain down to your abdomen. Because it wanders down your body carrying a range of signals from your brain to your organs (and vice versa), it's known as the "wandering nerve".

It plays a key role in your parasympathetic nervous system which means when the vagus nerve is activated, it sends a signal to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure telling your body it's time to relax.

It oversees several body functions such as:

mood

digestion

heart rate

breathing

immune response

reflex actions (coughing, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting)

Since your vagus nerve is the main nerve that is in charge of relaxing your body after it's under stress, icing it may help with anxiety.

According to research from 2008, cold exposure causes a shift in your parasympathetic nervous system, which is controlled by your vagus nerve. By restricting your blood vessels you're activating this nerve.

More recent scientific studies back up this connection. Research from 2018 found that when cold stimulation was applied to participants' neck area it slowed down their heart rates.

Another found similar results, where participants' heart rates slowed down but, in this study, participants ingested ice cold water instead of applying cold compresses.

By icing your nerve you're tricking your mind and body, and distracting yourself from the experience of anxiety.

How to stimulate your vagus nerve

Using cold temperatures to stimulate your vagus nerve works quickly. In the 2018 study mentioned earlier when participants used a cold compress on the neck area, it only took 16 seconds.

TikTok influencer Frankie Simmons who was the original poster of the anxiety hack "icing your vagus nerve" claims it takes as little as 15 minutes to calm down when you place a cold compress on your chest.

To try this at home, all you have to do to stimulate your vagus nerve is apply a cold compress to your chest or the back of your neck. Try it for a few seconds to several minutes and see how you feel. If you're monitoring your heart rate, you may see a drop. If you don't, try it again for a few minutes longer.

Other cold water immersion tactics you can try:

dunking your head in cold water

taking a cold bath or shower

splashing cold water on your face

go outside in cold temperatures

drinking ice cold water

Exercise

Moving your body can help to stimulate your vagus nerve. Research from 2016 shows that moderate exercise, such as interval training and endurance, training can increase your vagus nerve as well as improve your heart rate.

Music

If you want to avoid being cold or exercising, then you can try humming or singing. Research from 2013 shows that music has a soothing effect that can stimulate your vagus nerve.

Since your vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords, try singing or humming your favorite tune.

Massage

Your vagus nerve can be stimulated by massage, especially a foot massage.

Research from 2011 shows that foot reflexology can increase vagal modulation and lower blood repressure. Try giving yourself a foot massage to help stimulate your vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body and is part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of calming you down.

By stimulating your vagus nerve with cold temperature, you are activating it which helps to signal your body to relax. To activate your vagus nerve try placing a cold compress on the back of your neck or chest for several seconds up to 15 minutes.

You can also try other cold immersion techniques such as:

dunking your head or splashing water on your face

taking a cold bath or shower

going outside in the cold

drinking ice water

Other ways to activate your vagus nerve are to:

If you're experiencing anxious feelings on a regular basis, it may be time to consider speaking with a therapist. Use this resource guide to help you find the support that's right for you.

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If you experience symptoms of anxiety, research shows that icing your vagus nerve can slow down your heart rate and signal your body to relax.