You're okay. This will pass.
A panic attack feels awful, and it usually peaks within a few minutes and then eases. Let's slow things down together. Start here.
Follow the circle. In as it grows, out as it shrinks. Make the out-breath a little longer.
- This is panic. It's uncomfortable, and it will pass.
- You've gotten through this feeling before.
- You don't have to fight it. Let it rise and fall like a wave.
If you have chest pain, can't catch your breath, or think this could be a medical emergency, call 911. It's always okay to get checked.
Cool down
Cold on your face or neck can trigger your body's built-in calming reflex and slow your heart rate.
Grab something cold
Hold it to the back of your neck, then press start
- Hold an ice cube, a cold pack or a cold drink against the back or side of your neck. Wrap ice in a cloth so it's cold, not painful.
- Or splash cold water on your face, or hold a cool, wet cloth over your eyes and cheeks.
- Stay with it for 15 to 30 seconds while you breathe slowly. Repeat if it helps.
Why it helps: in a 2018 study, brief cold on the side of the neck lowered heart rate and increased activity of the vagus nerve, the body's "rest and calm" system. A 2022 study found that cooling the face reduced the body's stress response.
* If you have a heart condition, a slow heart rate, or an eating disorder, please check with your doctor before using cold.
Research: Jungmann et al. (2018), Effects of cold stimulation on cardiac-vagal activation, JMIR Formative Research; Richer et al. (2022), Vagus activation by Cold Face Test reduces acute psychosocial stress responses, Scientific Reports
Move it out
Panic floods your body with energy that's ready for action. A short burst of movement gives that energy somewhere to go.
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Jump with the sun: one jumping jack each bounce
- Do 15 to 20 jumping jacks, march or jog fast in place, or do a few wall push-ups.
- Go for about 30 to 60 seconds, as hard as feels safe for you.
- Then stop, stand still, and take five slow breaths. Notice your body settling.
Why it helps: your heart will speed up at first, and that's okay. It's movement, not danger. In a lab study, people who exercised for 30 minutes beforehand had far fewer triggered panic attacks (about 21%) than people who rested (about 63%). Regular movement also lowers anxiety over time.
* If you have a heart or lung condition, an injury, or are pregnant, choose gentle movement and check with your doctor about what's safe.
Five-finger breathing
Hold up one hand and trace around your fingers with the pointer finger of your other hand. Breathe in as you trace up a finger, and out as you trace down. Five fingers, five slow breaths.
Ready when you are
Trace along with the dot
Why it helps: slow breathing, around six breaths a minute, is linked in many studies with lower anxiety and a calmer heart rhythm. Tracing your hand gives your eyes and hands something steady to follow, so it's easier to slow down.
Research on slow breathing: Zaccaro et al. (2018), How breath-control can change your life, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Squeeze and release
Tense a part of your body on purpose, then let it go. Releasing the tension helps your muscles, and your mind, remember what relaxed feels like.
Make two fists
- Squeeze your fists, shoulders or toes tightly for about 5 seconds while you breathe in.
- Let go all at once as you breathe out. Feel the release for 10 seconds.
- Repeat three times, or move through different parts of your body.
Why it helps: a review of relaxation training, including progressive muscle relaxation, found it meaningfully reduced anxiety across many studies.
When it starts to ease
Be gentle with yourself. Get a glass of water, wrap up in something soft, and rest. Feeling drained afterward is normal.
If panic attacks keep happening, you don't have to handle them alone. Therapy can help them come less often and feel less scary when they do.
Book a free 15-minute callMore calming tools
If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out right now. Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room.