Restricted breathing through a straw

Breathe only through a thin straw for 60 seconds to induce breathlessness safely.

Why it works

Restriction of airflow produces the subjective sense of breathlessness and urgency that many panic sufferers fear above all else — the belief that they are suffocating or losing control of breathing. Straw breathing induces that sensation without any actual danger, allowing repeated disconfirmation of the suffocation belief. The controlled nature of the exercise lets the brain compare prediction ("I will not be able to breathe") to outcome ("I breathed the whole time, just less comfortably").

How to do it

1. Get a standard cocktail straw or coffee straw.
2. Clip your nose if needed and breathe only through the straw for 60 seconds.
3. Stay with the resulting breathlessness; do not pull the straw out.
4. Rate distress every 20 seconds; note the peak and its natural decline.
5. Repeat 3–5 times or until starting distress is noticeably lower.

Evidence

Straw breathing is included as a standard induction exercise in empirically tested interoceptive exposure protocols for panic disorder. (clinical)

Avoid if you have asthma, COPD, or any condition that genuinely impairs breathing. The sensation of restriction is real — know the difference between induced discomfort and a real breathing emergency.

Common mistake

Removing the straw as soon as the breathlessness peaks, reinforcing the belief that the sensation requires escape. The goal is to stay present through the peak until it naturally eases.