How to Relax: 7 Evidence-Based Methods (Step-by-Step)

Most relaxation advice lists techniques without explaining why they work or what to try first. Here are 7 methods ranked by research strength, starting with the one that takes 5 minutes and outperformed mindfulness in a Stanford controlled trial.

1. Start with the physiological sigh: 5 minutes, strongest evidence
2. Add slow belly breathing for sustained calm
3. Use progressive muscle relaxation when your body holds tension
4. Try a guided NSDR track for a full nervous system reset
5. Layer in a body scan for awareness without movement
6. Play nature sounds to lower baseline arousal
7. Walk or stretch when you've been seated too long

Here's what most people miss about relaxation: it's not a willpower problem. It's a nervous system problem. When your body is stuck in sympathetic (fight-or-flight) mode, telling yourself to "just relax" is like telling a car to slow down while the accelerator is floored. You need to take your foot off the gas first.

Your Body Is Stuck in Sympathetic Mode

Your autonomic nervous system has two main branches. The sympathetic branch speeds everything up: heart rate, breathing, cortisol, muscle tension. The parasympathetic branch does the opposite: it slows your heart rate, deepens your breathing, and signals safety to the rest of the body.

When you're stressed, the sympathetic branch dominates. Your pupils dilate, your breathing gets shallow, and your muscles tighten. This is useful if you're running from a threat. It's not useful when you're lying in bed at 11 PM trying to wind down.

The Parasympathetic Shift

Every relaxation technique worth using does the same thing at the physiological level: it activates your parasympathetic nervous system. The difference between techniques is how fast they trigger that shift and how long the effect lasts.

As psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD at Cleveland Clinic puts it, "Relaxation is like shifting into a lower gear." The gear shift happens when your vagus nerve sends a signal from body to brain that says: you're safe, slow down.

Why "Just Relax" Doesn't Work

I've found that the single biggest mistake people make is treating relaxation as a mental exercise. They try to think their way into calm. But the parasympathetic nervous system responds to physical inputs, not thoughts. Breathing patterns, muscle tension release, body position: these are the signals your nervous system actually listens to.

That's why the 7 methods below all start with your body, not your mind.

I've ranked these from strongest evidence to weakest. If you're short on time, start with method 1 and add others as needed.

1. Physiological Sigh (Fastest Reset)

Best for: Acute stress, calming down in under 2 minutes

If I had to pick one technique from this entire list, this is the one. A 2023 study published in Cell Reports Medicine by Stanford researchers Andrew Huberman, PhD and David Spiegel, MD found that cyclic sighing (the physiological sigh) "produces greater improvement in mood and reduction in respiratory rate compared with mindfulness meditation."

The study tested 108 participants over 28 days, comparing three breathing techniques against mindfulness. Cyclic sighing won.

How to do it:

1. Inhale through your nose
2. At the top of the inhale, add a second short inhale (a quick sniff to fully expand your lungs)
3. Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth
4. Repeat for 5 minutes

The double inhale reinflates the tiny air sacs in your lungs (alveoli), and the long exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system through the vagus nerve. You'll feel the shift within 2 to 3 breaths.

When to use it: Before a meeting when you're wound up, during a panic spike, or anytime you need to downshift in under 2 minutes. I've noticed this works especially well when you're too activated for slower techniques.

2. Slow Belly Breathing

Best for: Sustained calm over 5 to 10 minutes

Belly breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) is the simplest technique on this list. It works because deep abdominal breaths stimulate the vagus nerve, which triggers the parasympathetic response and slows your heart rate.

How to do it:

1. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position
2. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly
3. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, letting your belly rise (chest stays still)
4. Breathe out through your mouth for 6 seconds
5. Repeat for 5 to 10 minutes

The key detail most guides skip: your exhale needs to be longer than your inhale. A 4-second inhale with a 6-second exhale is a good starting ratio. That extended exhale is what activates the calming response.

When to use it: When you have 5 to 10 minutes and want a reliable baseline technique. This works well at your desk, on a commute, or before sleep. It's simpler than the physiological sigh but takes longer to produce the same effect.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Best for: Physical tension you can't shake, especially in shoulders, jaw, or back

Here's the thing about PMR: it works by exploiting a quirk of your nervous system. When you deliberately tense a muscle group for 5 to 10 seconds and then release, the relaxation that follows is deeper than what you'd get just trying to "relax" that muscle. The contrast between tension and release is the mechanism.

How to do it:

1. Start with your feet. Curl your toes and squeeze for 5 seconds
2. Release and notice the difference for 10 seconds
3. Move to your calves. Flex and hold for 5 seconds, then release
4. Continue upward: thighs, glutes, abdomen, fists, biceps, shoulders, face
5. Finish by tensing your entire body for 5 seconds, then releasing

The full sequence takes about 15 minutes. If you're short on time, focus on the three areas that hold the most tension for most people: shoulders (shrug and hold), jaw (clench and release), and hands (make fists and release).

When to use it: When your body is physically tense and breathing alone isn't enough. This is especially useful after a stressful workday when your shoulders are up around your ears and your jaw is clenched. The physical release sends a clear signal to your nervous system.

4. Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)

Best for: Full nervous system reset in 10 to 20 minutes

Let me be direct about this: NSDR is one of the most effective relaxation methods I've found, and it's underused because people confuse it with napping. NSDR is a guided protocol that keeps you awake while your body enters a state of deep rest. It works by systematically activating the parasympathetic nervous system through body awareness, breathing cues, and progressive relaxation.

Research from the Huberman Lab shows that NSDR promotes relaxation by increasing dopamine in the brain while reducing heart rate and blood pressure. The key difference from sleep: you stay conscious, which means you can use it midday without grogginess.

How to do it:

1. Lie down or recline in a quiet space
2. Follow a guided NSDR protocol (audio guidance matters here)
3. The guide walks you through body awareness, breathing, and progressive relaxation
4. Sessions range from 10 to 30 minutes

I'd recommend starting with a 10-minute track if you've never tried it. You can try a free NSDR track to see how it feels. Most people notice a clear state shift within the first session.

When to use it: Midday when your energy drops, after a stressful morning, or anytime you need a deeper reset than breathing alone can provide. A 20-minute NSDR session before a meeting clears mental fog faster than caffeine.

5. Body Scan

Best for: Becoming aware of tension you didn't know you were holding

Here's what most people miss about body scans: the goal isn't relaxation directly. It's awareness. You systematically move attention through your body, noticing where tension lives. That awareness alone often triggers release.

How to do it:

1. Lie down or sit comfortably
2. Start at the top of your head. Notice any tightness, warmth, or pressure
3. Move slowly downward: forehead, eyes, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, belly, hips, legs, feet
4. Spend 10 to 15 seconds on each area. Don't try to fix anything, just notice
5. Finish by noticing your body as a whole for 30 seconds

The full scan takes 10 to 15 minutes. The discovery moment, when you realize your jaw has been clenched for hours or your shoulders are hiked up, is where the value is. Once you notice it, you can release it.

When to use it: When you feel "generally tense" but can't pinpoint where. Also useful as a transition between work and rest, or as part of an evening wind-down routine.

6. Nature Sounds

Best for: Passive relaxation while you work, study, or fall asleep

This is where it gets interesting. Research shows that nature sounds (rain, ocean, birdsong) can lower sympathetic nervous system activity and increase parasympathetic activity. The mechanism: predictable, non-threatening acoustic patterns signal safety to your brain, which lowers your arousal baseline.

Unlike the other methods on this list, nature sounds work passively. You don't need to do a technique. You just press play.

Best options by use case:

• Sleep: Brown noise or rain sounds (deep, consistent, masks disruptions)
• Focus: Green noise or pink noise (balanced, not distracting)
• General relaxation: Ocean sounds or forest ambience

When to use it: When you need background relaxation without stopping what you're doing. Play nature sounds through headphones while working, or use them as part of a bedtime routine.

7. Walking or Light Movement

Best for: When you've been sitting too long and feel restless

Don't skip this one. Sometimes the best way to relax is to move. When cortisol builds up from prolonged sitting and stress, a 10 to 15 minute walk helps your body process those stress hormones. The rhythmic movement of walking, combined with a change of scenery, activates the parasympathetic system through a different pathway than breathing-based methods.

How to do it:

1. Walk at a comfortable pace (not exercise-intensity)
2. Leave your phone in your pocket or listen to nature sounds
3. Focus on your surroundings rather than your thoughts
4. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes minimum

When to use it: After sitting at a desk for 2+ hours, when you feel physically restless, or when breathing techniques feel forced. Walking works particularly well when your mind is racing, because the bilateral movement (left-right-left-right) has a natural calming effect on the nervous system.

The honest answer is: it depends on your situation. But I can give you a clearer framework than "try everything and see."

When You Need to Calm Down in Under 2 Minutes

Use the physiological sigh. It's the fastest evidence-based method. Three to five cycles of double-inhale, long-exhale will shift your nervous system within 60 seconds. This is your emergency tool.

When You Have 10 to 20 Minutes

Best for most people: NSDR. It produces the deepest state change in the shortest time because it combines breathing, body awareness, and guided relaxation into one protocol. If you want an alternative, progressive muscle relaxation is the next best option for this time window.

Choose belly breathing if: You want something simpler with no guidance needed. Choose PMR if: Your tension is mostly physical (shoulders, jaw, back). Choose NSDR if: You want the deepest overall reset.

When It's a Recurring Problem

If you struggle to relax most days, a single technique won't solve it. You need a daily practice (more on that below). The research consistently shows that daily practice, even just 5 minutes, produces compounding benefits. The Stanford cyclic sighing study found that participants who practiced daily showed increasing mood improvements over the 28-day trial.

Here's the honest truth: relaxation techniques don't work for everyone in every situation. If you've tried the methods above and they're not helping, here's what might be going on.

You're Too Activated to Start

When your stress level is very high (panic, acute anxiety, full-body tension), slow techniques like belly breathing can feel impossible. Your body is in a state where it can't process gentle inputs.

What to do instead: Start with the physiological sigh or cold water on your face and wrists. These produce faster parasympathetic activation. Once you've taken the edge off, transition to a longer technique like NSDR or PMR.

The Technique Doesn't Match the Problem

Physical tension responds better to physical methods (PMR, walking). Mental racing responds better to breathing and guided protocols (NSDR, physiological sigh). If you're using the wrong tool for the problem, it won't feel effective.

The fix: Match the technique to the symptom. Body tight? PMR. Mind racing? Physiological sigh followed by NSDR. Generally wired? Nature sounds plus a walk.

You May Need Professional Support

If you consistently can't relax despite trying multiple techniques, or if you experience panic attacks, chronic anxiety, or persistent insomnia, talk to a healthcare provider. Relaxation techniques are tools for normal stress regulation, not treatments for clinical conditions. There's no shame in getting professional help when self-directed methods aren't enough.

If I had to design a minimal daily relaxation routine, here's what it would look like. The goal is consistency, not duration. Five focused minutes beats 30 distracted minutes.

Morning: 2 to 3 Minutes

Start with 5 rounds of the physiological sigh. Do this before checking your phone. It sets your nervous system baseline for the day. Takes 2 to 3 minutes and requires nothing except your lungs.

Afternoon: 10 Minutes

Do a 10-minute NSDR session between 1 PM and 3 PM, when most people hit their energy low. This replaces the coffee-and-scroll habit that most people default to. Close your office door, put in headphones, and follow a guided track. You'll come out of it sharper than if you'd had a double espresso.

Evening: Wind Down

Play nature sounds for the last 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Add a 5-minute body scan once you're lying down. This combination signals to your nervous system that the day is done and it's safe to power down.

The takeaway is: you don't need to do all 7 methods every day. Pick 2 to 3 that fit your schedule and do them consistently. The science behind NSDR shows that regular practice compounds over time, and short daily sessions outperform occasional long ones.

When your nervous system is activated and you need to downshift, a guided protocol gets you there faster than trying to relax on your own. NSDR gives you a structured audio guide that walks you through the parasympathetic shift step by step.

• 10-minute tracks for a quick midday reset
• 20-minute tracks for deeper nervous system recovery
• 30-minute tracks for full-body rest without sleep

Try a free NSDR track for a fast reset.

How long does it take to learn to relax?

Most people feel an immediate effect from the physiological sigh on their first try. For techniques like NSDR and PMR, expect 3 to 5 sessions before you notice a reliable shift. Building a daily relaxation practice that feels natural takes about 2 to 3 weeks of consistent use.

What's the fastest way to relax?

The physiological sigh. Two inhales through the nose, one long exhale through the mouth. Research from Stanford shows this produces a measurable calming effect in under 5 minutes, outperforming other breathing techniques and mindfulness approaches.

Can you train yourself to relax?

Yes. Relaxation is a skill, not a trait. The more you practice parasympathetic activation (through breathing, NSDR, PMR, or other methods), the faster your nervous system learns to make the shift. Daily practice of even 5 minutes builds this capacity over time.

Why do I feel worse when I try to relax?

This is common and it's called "relaxation-induced anxiety." When you've been in fight-or-flight mode for a long time, your nervous system interprets the shift toward calm as unfamiliar, even threatening. Start with shorter sessions (2 to 3 minutes) and physical methods like PMR or walking. As your nervous system adapts, you'll be able to tolerate longer, deeper relaxation.

How do I relax before sleep?

Follow a sleep-focused protocol: play nature sounds 30 to 60 minutes before bed, do a 5-minute body scan once you're lying down, and use the physiological sigh if your mind is racing. Avoid screens, caffeine after 2 PM, and stimulating content in the hour before bed.

• Huberman, A.D., Spiegel, D., et al. "Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal." Cell Reports Medicine, January 2023. PubMed
• Stanford Medicine. "Cyclic sighing can help breathe away anxiety." February 2023. Stanford Medicine News
• Huberman Lab. "NSDR, Meditation and Breathwork." Huberman Lab Topics
• Huberman Lab. "Protocols for Stress." Huberman Lab
• Cleveland Clinic. "How To Relax: Relaxation Techniques To Try." Cleveland Clinic Health