Relaxation and breathing practice
Two ways to calm the body, belly breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, with a practice log that rates tension before and after.
Written by Tarun Vermani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist Last reviewed
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Relaxation and breathing practice
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Relaxation is a skill
Based on Jacobson (1938) and Öst (1987): progressive muscle relaxation and applied relaxation.
Slowing the body down gets easier with practice. It can help with anxiety, tension and winding down for sleep. Practise when you are already fairly calm.
If you have panic attacks, use this to wind down generally. It is not an emergency button to stop a panic attack, and using it that way can keep panic going.
Check with your GP or midwife first if you have a heart or breathing condition or epilepsy, or are pregnant. If you haven't had sensations such as a racing heart or breathlessness checked by a doctor, or they change or feel different from usual, see your GP. If you think something is medically wrong right now, get urgent help.
Belly (diaphragmatic) breathing
Sit or lie comfortably and rest one hand on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose so your belly rises under your hand and your chest stays fairly still. Then breathe out slowly, making the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath. Repeat gently for a few minutes. Do not force it, and stop if it feels uncomfortable.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Work through the body one muscle group at a time (for example hands, arms, shoulders, face, stomach, legs). Gently tense each group for about five seconds as you breathe in, then release it as you breathe out, noticing the difference. Never strain, and skip any area that is injured or painful.
Practice log
Rating your tension before and after helps you see the skill working over time.
| # | Date | Breathing or PMR | Tension before (0 to 10) | Tension after (0 to 10) | Notes | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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When to use the Relaxation and breathing practice
The Relaxation and breathing practice is an interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) worksheet. As a core CBT skill it is used right across the model, with presentations including depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma and low self-esteem, rather than being tied to a single diagnosis.
It is designed to be used within therapy rather than as a standalone self-help tool: a therapist introduces it, works through it collaboratively, and helps make sense of what it surfaces. You can preview the full worksheet above, then assign it digitally for clients to complete between sessions on any device or download it as a print-ready PDF.
How it works
Most people work through it in around 15 minutes. It moves through four short steps:
- Relaxation is a skill: Based on Jacobson (1938) and Öst (1987): progressive muscle relaxation and applied relaxation. Slowing the body down gets easier with…
- Belly (diaphragmatic) breathing: Sit or lie comfortably and rest one hand on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose so your belly rises under your hand and your…
- Progressive muscle relaxation: Work through the body one muscle group at a time (for example hands, arms, shoulders, face, stomach, legs). Gently tense each group for…
- Practice log: Rating your tension before and after helps you see the skill working over time.
Completed on the Formulate platform, your client's answers are saved automatically and shared straight back to you, so you can review them before the next session rather than waiting for a paper copy to come back.
The CBT approach behind it
In common with other CBT methods, the Relaxation and breathing practice works by building practical skills to manage difficult thoughts and feelings in the moment. The aim is not positive thinking but a clearer, shared understanding of what keeps a difficulty going and practical, testable ways to change it.
Because it is a CBT tool it stays focused on the here-and-now links between thoughts, feelings, the body and behaviour, and it works best as one part of a wider course of therapy rather than as advice or a diagnosis.
Evidence & sources
This worksheet is grounded in established cognitive behavioural therapy theory and practice. Key sources include:
- Jacobson, E. (1938). Progressive Relaxation (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Öst, L.-G. (1987). Applied relaxation: Description of a coping technique and review of controlled studies. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 25(5), 397-409. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(87)90017-9
For use alongside professional support
Formulate provides educational CBT resources for use with a qualified therapist. They are not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or crisis care.
If you need urgent help now:
- Emergency services: 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- NHS 111 (NHS 24 in Scotland): 111 — choose the mental health option for urgent help, in England, Scotland and Wales (in Wales, press 2)
- Lifeline: 0808 808 8000 — for urgent help in Northern Ireland, free, day or night
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free, day or night, 365 days a year
- Shout: 85258 — text SHOUT, free, day or night
- SANEline: 0300 304 7000 — 4pm–10pm, every day
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