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Yes. You can try stress-management practices that do not require a vagus nerve stimulator, especially comfortable, controlled breathing and mindfulness. Research suggests these may help some people with stress or anxiety, but results vary and neither practice is a guaranteed treatment. They also do not reproduce or prove the effects of a stimulation device.
What can you try without a device?
Comfortable, controlled breathing
Try gently slowing and regulating your breathing while keeping the breath comfortable. You do not need a device, a precise count, or a breath-hold protocol. Choose a pace that feels manageable, and stop if it causes discomfort or increases distress.
A systematic review of 19 studies involving adults found significant anxiety improvement in 12 studies and significant stress improvement in nine. The authors concluded breathing exercises may help, while noting that evidence from large randomized controlled trials remains limited. The review was published online in 2024 and appeared in a 2025 journal issue. Read the review abstract on PubMed.
Mindfulness or meditation
A brief mindfulness practice can involve noticing the breath, bodily sensations, or sounds, and returning attention when the mind wanders. There is no need to force the mind to become blank; choose a format you can tolerate and sustain.
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A 2014 meta-analysis of 47 trials found moderate evidence that meditation programs improved anxiety, but only low evidence for stress or distress. It found no evidence that meditation programs performed better than active alternatives such as exercise or other behavioral therapies. These findings do not establish that every meditation format works for every person. Read the meta-analysis on PubMed.
How strong is the evidence for breathing practices?
A separate review examined 72 breathing interventions; 54 met the review’s definition of an effective intervention by reporting a significant reduction in stress or anxiety. The authors observed that effective practices tended not to rely on fast-only breathing or sessions shorter than five minutes. Human-guided training, repeated sessions, and longer-term practice also appeared among associated components. These are patterns across studies, not a proven prescription or guarantee for an individual. Read the review on PubMed.
The studies differed in practice format, population, comparator, and outcome. A change in a short-term stress or anxiety measure is not the same as treating a diagnosed anxiety disorder or resolving persistent stress. The reviews support trying a tolerable practice; they do not establish a universal best technique.
Is meditation safe for everyone?
Meditation is generally considered to have few risks, but potential harms have not been studied enough to make definite safety claims. NCCIH summarizes a review of 83 studies with 6,703 participants in which about 8 percent reported a negative effect; anxiety and depression were the most common. That figure is not a precise risk estimate for every meditation practice or population. Stop if a practice worsens distress, and consider discussing alternatives with a health professional. See NCCIH’s effectiveness and safety guidance.
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Breathing and mindfulness can be complementary self-care, not substitutes for medical or mental-health care. NCCIH advises: “Don’t use meditation or mindfulness to replace conventional care or as a reason to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem.” If distress persists, disrupts daily functioning, or gets worse, discuss it with a qualified health professional.
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