We’ve all been there: you’re about to stand up to present or perform, and suddenly, your heart is racing. When that surge of adrenaline hits, this specific breathing exercise really comes into its own.

Here is a simple guide to regaining control of your breathing and heart rate within minutes.

The foundation of this exercise is a simple ‘in-hold-out’ rhythm. To start, we’ll use this count:

• Breathe in for three counts
• Hold for three counts
• Breathe out

If you’re feeling in a state of panic, you may find that the exhale is very short. Don’t judge it. Try again, and this time, exhale through a narrow mouth (as if you were blowing a feather 10 centimetres in front of you). This will help you to slow down, and calm down.

Don’t worry about your counting speed. This is your body and your exercise — do what feels natural to you.

Once you’ve practised this a few times, and your breathing has come down from the panic stage, return to exhaling through your nose.

Now it’s time for the secret to regaining control: To get those nerves under control, we need to increase the length of the hold and the exhale.

Try it again, but this time:

• Inhale for three
• Increase the hold from three counts to four.
• Exhale slowly over a count of five, if you can

Increasing that hold is what gives us control back over our nerves and our breathing. It’s the physiological ‘brake’ that brings your heart rate down.

Experiment with exhaling through the nose and through the mouth blowing position — which works better for you?

For the best results, try to make the hold and exhale slightly longer than the time it takes you to breathe in. For example, if you breathe in for four, try to hold for five and breathe out over six.

By the time you finish a few rounds of this, your heart rate will have started to drop, and your breathing will feel regulated again. Then let go of the effort, stop the counting, and just notice the difference.

Try practising this in situations that are not high pressure, too —  it can be a helpful way to get into mindfulness and meditation. I particularly recommend it for high-pressure moments and it’s my personal go-to breathing exercise. I hope you find it equally as helpful!

Based in Leytonstone, London, UK, Julia Caddick is a dynamic voice and presentation coach with over 30 years of experience in music, theatre, and communication. She helps business leaders, teams, and individuals present themselves and their ideas with clarity, authenticity and impact — both in person and online.