Breath patterns have a direct affect on one’s anxiety levels. Feeling anxious is overwhelming. Any sign of anxiety, whether cognitive or emotional, is uncomfortable, but physical anxiety signs can feel especially frightening, specifically shortness of breath. In fact, many people mistake an anxiety attack for a heart attack because of the severe physical symptoms.
When you feel anxiety building up inside of you, there are techniques out there to bring you back to a calm, balanced base level. One of these calming techniques is breathwork. Breathing exercises can be a long-term strategy for managing your anxiety successfully.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
What happens during breathwork?
Breathwork may be the new buzz in the media, but it is not a new concept. Breathwork has been practiced for thousands of years and has roots in yoga. For more information, check out our blog “The Mental Health Benefits of Practicing Yoga.”
Breathwork nourishes both your mind and body by releasing toxins and stress.
When you fail to breath properly, research has shown that the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange within your body becomes unbalanced, potentially leading to:
Anxiety
Fatigue
Physical disturbances
Emotional disturbances
Breathwork positively impacts your central nervous system. Think about when you feel stressed or anxious- it is likely that your breath becomes swift and shallow. Therefore, the amount of oxygen entering your bloodstream is restricted. You view a potential threat, and then your body responds with the fight-or-flight response.
By slowing down and breathing deeply and purposefully, you are communicating to yourself that you are safe and okay. Your brain tells your body that you are secure. In turn, your fight-or-flight response lessens, and your body functions normally once again.
Why does deep breathing calm anxiety?
Deep breathing is extremely effective for calming your anxiety. Deep breathing triggers your vagus nerve which then activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Your parasympathetic nervous system is the system responsible for your body’s ‘rest and digest’ function.
‘Rest and digest’ counteracts your body’s fight-or-flight response. ‘Rest and digest’ refers to your physiological state where you conserve energy, maintain your body’s functions, and enhance the recovery process. On the other hand, your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the fight-or-flight reaction during times of anxiety.
When your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, you may experience the following:
Your blood pressure goes down
Your body enters a state of calm
Your heart rate slows down
Anxiety releases specific stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. Deep breathing can help lessen the release of these hormones in the bloodstream. This creates a sense of relaxation and reduces the occurrence of your physical anxiety symptoms.
When you take a deep breath, your oxygen level rises and gets rid of carbon dioxide more quickly. Better oxygenation of the blood increases your brain’s ability to function properly and enhances your overall welfare. Healthy oxygen levels balance your heart rate and blood pressure which are both things that increase during periods of anxiety.
Focusing on your breath itself can be a mindful act. Shifting your attention from your anxious thoughts to your breath offers a grounding impact where you can stay focused on the present moment and reduce a spiral of negative, anxiety-inducing thoughts.
Deep, slow breathing has the ability to influence the activity going on in your brain by offering calmness. It does this through altering brain waves and shrinking hyperactivity in brain areas connected to anxiety.
Lastly, the simple act of taking in a good, deep breath is psychologically comforting. When you are in a time of anxiety and/or crisis, a deep breath can give you a sense of control over your mind and body. This can be an empowering feeling when you are in an anxious state.
How long should you do breathwork to reduce anxiety?
Everybody has a different anxiety response which requires different coping mechanisms. Many people wonder if there is a magical number of minutes they need to do breathwork to prevent anxiety, alleviate stress, and/or break out of a panic or anxiety attack. The truth is that there is no universal approach that works for everyone.
With that being said, there are some general guidelines that you can keep in mind when practicing breathwork.
Many people recommend making breathwork a daily practice. This can be a daily practice of anywhere from five to 20 minutes. Engaging in breathwork from 5 to ten minutes alone can create a noticeable calming effect in your body.
A regular breathwork practice can help you maintain low anxiety levels while also building resilience against stress. There is power in consistency. Some people even believe in practicing breathwork two times a day- once in the morning and once in the evening. This can aid with maintaining a sense of calmness throughout the day and even help you sleep better at night. For more information, read our blog by our psychotherapist Rebecca Bischoff, LCSW “Unlocking the Secrets of Quality Sleep: A Therapist’s Perspective on Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia.”
It is important to find a breathing routine that feels right for you. It must be comfortable and sustainable. You may not be able to start off with two 20-minute breathing sessions each day, and that is okay. Start small and work your way up the ladder.
You can start with small sessions and increase the length of your breathing sessions as you become more comfortable with the practice.
It can be helpful to pay attention to how your body feels during breathing sessions over different periods of time. If you feel more anxious after a period of time, take note of it. If you feel more calm after a certain length of time, you may want to continue the practice. You can use this as a guide for future breathing sessions.
How do you breathe to help overthinking?
There are many effective breathing techniques out there so you can develop a healthier way of breathing and maintaining your physical and mental health. Breathing tactics, along with other forms of relaxation, can help you manage your overthinking, anxiety, and stress.
Here are some breathwork techniques you can use to reduce anxiety:
The Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique
Alternate nostril breathing is a rather simple, yet effective technique. As with any other breathing exercise, get into a comfortable position, whether seated or standing, with good posture where your chest is open.
If you want to practice alternate nostril breathing, here are the steps:
Use your thumb of your right hand to close off your right nostril
Inhale slowly through your left nostril only
Pinch your nose closed by holding down your left nostril with your index finger
Then, open up your right nostril by removing your thumb and exhaling
Hold for a moment
Inhale again through the right nostril
Pinch your nose closed again and hold your breath
Open up your left nostril and exhale. Then, inhale
It is estimated that one cycle of nostril breathing lasts approximately one minute long. You can repeat this process until you feel calm.
2. The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is also referred to as the relaxing breath. Sit in a seated position to start this breathing exercise.
To practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique, you must:
Inhale to the count of four
Hold your breath for seven seconds
Exhale for a count of eight
Many people use this breathing tactic to release tension and they use it before bedtime to achieve better sleep.
3. The Pursed-Lip Breathing Technique
Pursed lip breathing is purposeful and very effective at reducing stress. Whether you are active or in a seated position, this breathing technique works.
Here is how to practice pursed-lip breathing:
Take a breath through your nose for two seconds while your mouth is closed
Purse your lips (imagine you are sipping through a straw)
Exhale for a count of four throughout your mouth
This is a powerful breathing tactic to slow down your breath quickly and limit any stress you may be experiencing due to shortness of breath. Breathing can become more efficient with this technique which helps your body do less work over time when it comes to breathing.
4. The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique
Diaphragmatic breathing may also be referred to as belly breathing, and it has been proven to reduce stress.
To practice diaphragmatic breathing, do the following:
Sit or lie down
Place one hand on your chest and the other hand below your ribcage
Breath in through your nose and feel the breath move down into your abdomen
Feel your belly expand and push forward
Purse your lips and slowly exhale through your mouth for a few seconds
Repeat the process a few times while taking note of how your belly increases and decreases but your chest stays relatively the same
5. The Resonance Breathing Technique
Resonance or coherent breathing can reduce anxiety, leading to a more relaxed self. It can also enhance your ability to react more positively to stress and anxiety.
Lie down on a flat surface to practice coherent breathing.
To complete a resonance breathing exercise:
Breath in through your nose for a count of six
Exhale for a count of six
Complete this for about 10 minutes, and notice how your body feels as you inhale and exhale air in and out of your lungs
Does breathwork really work?
Yes, breathwork is an extremely effective coping mechanism recommended by many licensed mental health counselors for anxiety. At Anchor Therapy, our anxiety therapists will teach you how to incorporate breathwork exercises into your life so you can gain and maintain control of yourself instead of your anxiety dictating you.
One of the best things about breathwork is that it is a validated mental health tool that is accessible to everyone. You do not need to have certain skills to practice it. You do not need to spend a certain amount of money to gain access to it. You have it all right within you.
A regular breathwork practice can create long-lasting benefits that you can reap the reward of, from reducing stress and anxiety to improving your mood. A single breathwork practice can provide both immediate and long-term benefits to your mental health.
Here are some well-known benefits of breathwork:
Reduction in anxiety
Stress management tool
Enhanced mood
Better focus and concentration
Regulation tactic for emotions
Better quality sleep
Lowered blood pressure
Enhanced respiratory function
Better immune function
Lowered muscle tension
Increased mindfulness
Better self-awareness
Better cognitive function
Improved performance
If you are having a hard time managing anxiety on your own and implementing healthy coping skills, it is generally recommended to seek the guidance of an anxiety counselor.
Can you teach yourself breathwork?
It is possible to teach yourself breathwork, from looking up videos online to trying out the outlined breathing exercises in this blog post. However, it is not always an easy thing to learn to do. Luckily, a therapist for stress and anxiety can assist in this process.
First and foremost, an anxiety therapist can explain to you the science behind breathwork and why it is so effective. This may reassure you that breathwork is a safe and readily available option to you for reducing anxiety. When you know about the breathwork process and the benefits that come along with the process, it will hopefully clear up any misconceptions or fears you may have. If not, do not be afraid to mention it to your anxiety counselor!
An anxiety counselor will also introduce some simple breathing techniques with you to start you off. If you are new to deep breathing exercises, you may start off with some simple breathing techniques, like resonance breathing, and work your way up to more complex ones, like alternate nostril breathing.
You will not just be doing these breathing exercises by yourself. Instead, a therapist for anxiety will be there with you each and every step of the way, even doing some of the exercises with you to guide you through breathing. This type of guided practice will usually be used during initial breathwork sessions together. Your anxiety coach may even bring in other elements, such as relaxing music or guided audio recordings.
Sometimes when we are adopting a new health practice, we get in a little over our heads. Perhaps we underestimate how hard it is to create a new habit. Or maybe we think we have more free time on our hands than we really do to dedicate the time and energy needed for a new mental health practice.
An anxiety counselor will help you set realistic goals so you can ultimately work your way up to a daily breathwork practice, even if it is only for five minutes a day. Something is always better than nothing. You may use breathwork during specific times of the day, such as first thing when you wake up in the morning, and you may also use it during times of high stress and anxiety.
Many of the benefits of deep breathing have been heavily researched, proving their efficacy. By practicing deep breathing, you will respond better to stress and anxiety.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager and Intake Coordinator at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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