Pelvic floor relaxation: a gentle breathing practice and when to get help

Why release matters as well as contraction

Our beginner’s guide explains pelvic floor muscle control. This page focuses on a short breathing practice and the questions to take to an assessment.

This does not mean you should try to make your pelvic floor as loose as possible. The practical aim is appropriate control: the ability to release when needed as well as contract when appropriate. If you are unsure whether you need strengthening or help with tension, start with our tight-versus-weak explanation and consider an assessment.

Set up for comfort, not a performance test

Choose a comfortable, supported position. You might lie on your side or rest on your back with your knees supported, if that feels comfortable for you. There is no need to make a deep stretch or adopt a position that causes pain. NHS Fife describes comfortable lying positions for abdominal breathing practice.

Before you begin, notice whether you are trying very hard to get the exercise right. You do not need a dramatic movement, a particular image or a measurable “release.” Keep the first attempt short. If attention to the area feels distressing, stop and discuss a different approach with your clinician.

Try a few easy breaths

1. Settle into your supported position and notice your usual breathing.
2. If helpful, place a hand lightly on your abdomen. Breathe in gently through your nose and let the abdomen move naturally.
3. Imagine the area between your sitting bones softening as you inhale. Allow this; do not push.
4. Let the breath out comfortably without adding a deliberate pelvic squeeze.
5. Try three or four breaths, then return to your usual breathing.

This short sequence draws on NHS Fife’s breathing guidance. Keep the breaths comfortable rather than unusually large. If you feel dizzy, breathless or more uncomfortable, stop and return to normal breathing.

Relaxation is different from bearing down

A release is a letting-go action, not a forceful downward push. Royal Berkshire makes this distinction explicitly in its relaxation advice. Avoid holding your breath to force a result.

You might hear the phrase “reverse Kegel.” Because people use that phrase differently, ask the person teaching it to explain the intended movement. Do not interpret it as straining as if trying to empty your bowels. If you cannot tell the difference between relaxing and pushing, that is a good question for a pelvic health physiotherapist, not a reason to push harder.

You also do not need to follow every stretch you see online. Keep this practice simple while you work out what is comfortable and appropriate for you.

Use a small check-in during the day

Choose one reminder that feels neutral and practical, such as “comfortable breath.” Keep it somewhere you are likely to notice without interrupting your day.

Pick one natural pause, such as finishing a work call. Notice your breathing, let unnecessary gripping soften and continue with your day. There is no need to monitor the pelvic floor constantly. If you are also following a prescribed strengthening program, ask how relaxation should fit around it rather than replacing or expanding the plan yourself.

What if breathing practice causes a spasm or discomfort?

A new twitch, vibration or spasm during breathing is not a reliable sign that the exercise is releasing tension, nor does it identify a particular diagnosis. Stop the deliberate exercise and return to your ordinary breathing. Do not take bigger breaths, push downward or repeat the movement to chase a release.

For a review, note the position, whether you were inhaling or exhaling, whether you were deliberately pushing, and whether the sensation settled when you stopped. Describe pain, urinary changes or other accompanying symptoms too. Ask the clinician who gave you the practice whether to adjust it or pause it until assessed.

NHS Fife’s breathing guidance uses a comfortable position and allows the pelvic floor to soften during inhalation. It does not require a dramatic sensation. If attention to the area increases discomfort or distress, ask for another way to work toward your goal.

Persistent or recurring pain needs medical advice. For severe or worsening pelvic pain, or pain with faintness or heavy bleeding, seek emergency care; NHS guidance gives the full warning signs. An app workout is not the next step for unexplained painful spasms.

When breathing practice is not enough

Pelvic pain has many potential causes, and NHS Fife advises checking with a doctor to rule out other explanations. Physiotherapy may include relaxation teaching and other individualized approaches. Read its guidance on overactive pelvic floor muscles.

Book an assessment for persistent pain, painful sex or difficulty emptying. Seek emergency medical care now for severe or worsening pelvic pain, fainting, or heavy vaginal bleeding. Pelvic pain with fever, blood in urine or difficulty passing urine needs urgent medical advice. NHS pelvic pain guidance explains warning signs.

This is a gentle educational practice, not a diagnosis or treatment promise. The right next step for painful symptoms is professional assessment, even if a few breaths temporarily make you feel more comfortable.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

Original guidance sources were consulted October 24, 2026. Sources supporting the new decision-support section were checked October 27, 2026. Sources support general education; they have not reviewed or endorsed Pelvic Gym.

1. Royal Berkshire: Relaxing your pelvic floor muscles
2. NHS Fife: Pelvic pain and breathing practice
3. NHS Fife: Overactive pelvic floor muscles
4. NHS: Pelvic pain