Panic moments
How to Breathe During a Panic Attack: A Gentle, Step-by-Step Guide
What happens to your breathing during a panic attack, why fast breathing keeps the loop going, and a gentle way to slow down without forcing deep breaths.
7 min read
A little flower. A moment to breathe.
When anxiety makes your breathing fast and shallow, Don't Panic Daisy gives you one simple thing to follow: a flower that sways with your breath, then gently slows you down.
Free to use. No account. No sign-up.
When panic takes over, breathing is the first thing to go.
Your heart races. Your breath gets quick and high in your chest. Someone tells you to take a deep breath, and somehow that makes it harder.
Daisy doesn't ask you to calm down. It gives your eyes something soft to rest on and your breath something to follow. Breathe in as the flower rises, breathe out a little longer as it settles. That's all.
Why the exhale is a little longer
Breathing and heart rate are linked. When you breathe in, your heart tends to speed up slightly. When you breathe out, it tends to slow down a little. This rhythm is natural and happens in everyone.
Slow, comfortable breathing with an exhale that is a bit longer than the inhale may help encourage your body's own relaxation response. It won't switch anxiety off, but many people find it makes the wave easier to ride.
Read about the scienceBreathe in
Breathe out, a little longer
Start where you are. Slow down gently.
Asking a racing body to suddenly breathe slowly can feel impossible. So Daisy doesn't. The flower starts at a quicker pace, closer to how you're breathing right now.
Then, breath by breath, it eases toward a slower, longer rhythm. You don't have to do anything clever. Just keep following the flower.
Where you startWhere Daisy guides you
Try one minute right here
Press start and follow the flower. It begins a little quick and slows down as you go. Stop whenever you like.
Ready when you are
How to use Daisy
Open Daisy, or tap the widget
No menus to dig through. One tap and the flower is there.
Follow the flower
Breathe in as it rises. Breathe out, a little longer, as it settles. Words on screen keep the timing clear.
Let it slow you down
Daisy eases the pace over time. Prefer a different rhythm? Pick the level that feels right.
Stop when you feel better
There's no timer to beat and no streak to keep. Stop whenever you're ready.
Plant a Daisy on your home screen
In an anxious moment, even finding an app can feel like too much. The Daisy widget sits on your home screen, so your little helper is always one tap away.
It's also a quiet reminder that you have something to lean on, even on days you don't need it.
Made to be gentle, in every detail
Daisy's settings are short and simple, the way they should be when your head is full.
Breathing
- LevelAuto
Let Daisy slow down for you, or choose the pace that feels best.
- Haptics
A soft tap on your phone marks each breath, so you can close your eyes.
- Sound
Turn on gentle sound, or keep things completely quiet.
Accessibility
- Dyslexic-friendly font
Switch every word in the app to a typeface designed to be easier to read.
Reminders
- Once a day3:00 PM
An optional nudge to practise when you're calm, on the days you pick.
Free to use. Supported by people who love it.
Daisy is free, with no ads and no account. If it helps you, you can choose to support the app with a small subscription. Everyone gets the same calm.
Free
$0
- The full breathing flower
- Automatic slow-down and levels
- Home screen widget
- Dyslexic-friendly font, haptics and sound
- No ads, no account
Supporter
$0.99 / monthor$4.99 / year
- Keeps Daisy independent and ad-free
- Helps fund new languages and features
- Our heartfelt thanks
Prices shown in US dollars. Your App Store or Google Play shows the price in your local currency. Cancel any time in your store account settings.
Questions people ask
See all questionsWhat is Don't Panic Daisy?
A simple breathing helper for anxious moments. An animated daisy sways with your breath: you breathe in as it rises and breathe out a little longer as it settles. It starts at a quicker pace and gradually slows you down.
Can Daisy stop a panic attack?
No app can promise that, and Daisy doesn't. Slow breathing with a longer exhale may help you feel more settled, and many people find that having something to focus on makes a hard moment easier to get through. If panic attacks are frequent or frightening, please talk to a doctor or mental health professional.
Why does the exhale last longer than the inhale?
Your heart rate naturally rises a little as you breathe in and eases a little as you breathe out. A comfortably longer exhale, at a slow pace, may support your body's relaxation response. There's no breath holding, which many people find hard when they're anxious.
Why does Daisy start fast and then slow down?
When you're anxious, jumping straight to a very slow rhythm can feel like you're not getting enough air. Daisy meets you closer to where you are, then eases the pace breath by breath. You can also choose a fixed level whenever you want.
Is it free?
Yes. Everything that helps you breathe is free, with no ads. You can choose an optional supporter subscription ($0.99 a month or $4.99 a year, or the local equivalent) to help keep the app going.
Notes on breathing and calm
Breathing science
Why a Longer Exhale May Calm You: What the Research Says
How your heart rate shifts with each breath, what slow breathing does to heart rate variability, and what the research on longer exhales does and does not show.
7 min read
Techniques
Box Breathing vs 4-7-8 vs Extended Exhale: Which Suits You?
A fair comparison of three popular breathing techniques, who each one may suit, why breath holds can feel hard during panic, and why Daisy uses no holds.
7 min read
A small helper, not a replacement for care
Don't Panic Daisy is a breathing aid for everyday anxious moments. It is not a medical device, and it doesn't diagnose, treat or cure any condition. If anxiety or panic is affecting your life, please talk to a doctor or a mental health professional.
If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line right now.
Keep a little calm in your pocket.
Get Daisy now, so it's there the next time you need it.