Pursed-Lip Breathing: How to Do It and When It Helps

By Bathilde Rocchia, creator of BreathInU. Published .

What pursed-lip breathing is

Pursed-lip breathing means you breathe in through your nose and out slowly through lips that are almost closed, as if you were blowing on hot soup or whistling. The exhale lasts about twice as long as the inhale.

The narrow opening of the lips slows the air on its way out. That gentle back-pressure keeps the airways open a little longer, so you empty your lungs more completely and take fewer, slower breaths. It is one of the two main exercises taught in pulmonary rehabilitation, with belly breathing.

You do not need a lung condition to use it. It is also a simple way to slow down when you feel out of breath or stressed.

How to practice

  1. Relax your neck and shoulders.
  2. With your mouth closed, breathe in through your nose for 2 seconds. A normal breath, not a deep one.
  3. Purse your lips as if to whistle.
  4. Breathe out slowly through your lips for 4 seconds or more. Do not force the air out.
  5. Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes.

The 2-in, 4-out count is a starting point. What matters is that the exhale is at least twice as long as the inhale and feels easy.

Quick check: hold your hand in front of your mouth. You should feel a thin, steady stream of air, not a puff.

When it helps

  • Short of breath during effort: climbing stairs, carrying shopping, walking uphill. Breathe in before the effort, out through pursed lips during the hardest part.
  • After exercise: to slow your breathing down instead of panting.
  • Stress or anxiety: the long, audible exhale gives your attention something to follow.
  • Before sleep: a few rounds slow the breath before you move to quieter nasal breathing.

For a quieter exhale you can do at a desk or on camera, use 4-6 breathing through the nose instead. For a cozy evening version with a candle as feedback, see the candle exhale.

If you have asthma or COPD

Pursed-lip breathing is widely taught to people with asthma and COPD to manage breathlessness. If that is your situation:

  • Learn it with your doctor, nurse or physiotherapist, and follow their counts if they differ from this page.
  • It complements your treatment. It does not replace your inhaler or action plan.
  • Practice when you feel well, so it comes naturally when you are short of breath.

Sudden or severe breathlessness, chest pain, or lips turning blue is an emergency, not a moment for a breathing exercise.

Common mistakes

  • Blowing hard, as if blowing out a candle
  • Taking a huge breath in before each exhale
  • Tensing the cheeks, jaw or shoulders
  • Practicing only when already very breathless, instead of a little every day

How to do it in BreathInU

BreathInU guides Pursed-Lip Breathing: two shapes show the inhale through the nose and the exhale through the mouth, with a short pause at each switch and a sound cue so you can close your eyes. A session is 10 breaths by default.

In the app, the exhale is automatically about a third longer than the inhale (4 seconds in, a little over 5 seconds out by default). That is a gentler ratio meant for calm. If your care team taught you a 1:2 ratio, keep counting it yourself and use the app as a reminder to practice.

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