Breathing and Anxiety: How Your Breath Impacts Stress

Did you know that the way you breathe affects your nervous system? Many people with anxiety rely on shallow, rapid chest breathing, which can actually increase feelings of stress.

Understanding how breathing impacts anxiety is the first step toward regaining calm and control.

How Breathing Affects the Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system controls the fight or flight response. Breathing patterns influence this system:

• Rapid, shallow breathing → increases sympathetic activity (fight, flight, freeze mode)
• Slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing → increases parasympathetic activity (rest, digest mode)

By adjusting how you breathe, you can directly influence stress and anxiety levels.

Common Dysfunctional Breathing Patterns in Anxiety

People with anxiety often exhibit:

• Upper chest breathing
• Overuse of neck muscles
• Breath-holding or sighing
• Difficulty taking a full breath

These patterns can feed into the cycle of stress, creating tension and discomfort.

Simple Breathing Exercises You Can Try

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Place a hand on your belly, inhale so the hand rises, exhale slowly
2. Beach post: Lay on your back with your hands behind your head. Gently breathe into your belly, allowing it to rise slowly. Then gently exhale, while trying not to force air out
3. Pursed-Lip Breathing: Exhale slowly through pursed lips to improve airway efficiency

These exercises support relaxation and reduce anxiety-related tension.

When to Seek Physiotherapy Support

Our physiotherapists can assess your breathing pattern and teach tailored exercises to:

• Reduce neck and chest tension
• Improve breathing efficiency
• Integrate breathing into movement and daily activities

If anxiety, tension, or shortness of breath is affecting your life, Move Authentically Physiotherapy in Kingston, ON, can help retrain your breathing and support a calmer nervous system.  

Ready to start exploring your breathing with us? Book a breathing assessment.