Breathwork for Anxiety: A Simple, Powerful Way to Calm Your Mind and Nervous System

Simple Breathwork Techniques That Help

Breathing is something we do automatically - yet when used intentionally, our breath becomes one of the most effective tools we have for calming the mind, regulating emotions and supporting physical wellbeing.

Breathwork for anxiety is one of the most gentle and effective ways to calm our nervous system, reduce overwhelm and help our body feel safe again.

Breathwork is the practice of using our breath consciously to influence how we feel. It’s gentle, natural, and accessible to almost everyone. Whether you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, tense or struggling to switch off, breathwork offers a simple way to bring your body and mind back into balance.

How Breathwork Calms the Nervous System - Breathwork for Anxiety

Your nervous system has two key modes:

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) - often called fight or flight. This is active during stress, anxiety and pressure.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) - known as rest and digest. This is the state your body needs for calm, healing and recovery.

Stressful lifestyles can keep the nervous system stuck in fight or flight. Breathwork gently signals safety to the brain, helping shift the body into rest and digest. Heart rate slows, muscles soften, and the mind begins to settle.

When used regularly, breathwork for anxiety helps train your nervous system to respond more calmly to stress, rather than staying stuck in fight or flight.

Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and Why Breathing Properly Matters

Breathwork isn’t just about taking in more air - it’s about breathing more efficiently.

When we’re stressed or anxious, breathing often becomes shallow or rapid. This can reduce carbon dioxide levels in the body, which paradoxically makes it harder for oxygen to be released into the tissues. This imbalance can contribute to symptoms such as dizziness, tension, anxiety and a racing heart.

Slow, controlled breathing helps:

• Improve oxygen delivery to the brain and body

• Maintain healthy carbon dioxide levels

• Reduce physical symptoms of anxiety

• Support clearer thinking and relaxation

This is one reason breathwork can feel calming so quickly - it restores balance at a very fundamental level.

Five Types of Breathwork and Their Benefits

1. Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing

Breathing deeply into the abdomen rather than the chest.

Benefits:

• Reduces anxiety and stress

• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system

• Supports digestion and relaxation

• Ideal for beginners

2. Box Breathing (4–4–4–4)Breathing in, holding, breathing out and holding again for equal counts.

Benefits:

• Calms the nervous system

• Improves focus and emotional regulation

• Helpful during stressful moments

3. Extended Exhale Breathing The out-breath is longer than the in-breath.

Benefits:

• Strongly activates the rest-and-digest response

• Helps with anxiety, panic and racing thoughts

• Excellent for winding down in the evening

4. Energising Breathwork

Gentle, rhythmic breathing designed to increase alertness.

Benefits:

• Boosts energy and motivation

• Helps overcome mental fog

• Useful in the morning or during afternoon slumps

5. Guided Relaxation Breathwork

Breathing combined with calming imagery and suggestion.

Benefits:

• Deep physical and mental relaxation

• Helps quieten a busy mind

• Supports stress relief and sleep

The Best Times of Day to Practice Breathwork

Morning breathwork

Helps you begin the day feeling grounded, calm and focused - rather than rushed or reactive.

Breathwork during the working day

Just a few minutes can reduce stress hormones, ease tension and improve concentration. It’s particularly helpful during breaks or after challenging moments.

Evening and bedtime breathwork

Supports relaxation, emotional processing and better sleep by calming the nervous system and slowing the mind.

What Can Breathwork Help With?

Breathwork is commonly used to support:

• Anxiety and panic

• Stress and overwhelm

• Sleep difficulties

• Low mood and emotional regulation

• Exam, performance or work-related stress

• IBS and stress-related physical symptoms

• Tension, restlessness and feeling “on edge”

It works alongside the body, rather than forcing relaxation.

The Benefits of Regular Breathwork Practice

Practising breathwork regularly - even for a few minutes a day - helps train your nervous system to respond more calmly to life’s challenges.

Research shows that slow, controlled breathing can:

• Improve heart rate variability

• Reduce anxiety and stress symptoms

• Support emotional regulation and resilience(Jerath et al., 2015; Lehrer & Gevirtz, 2014)

Over time, calm becomes easier to access and stress feels more manageable.

Getting Started with Breathwork - Simply and Gently

You don’t need experience, special equipment or lots of time. What helps most is clear guidance - knowing how to breathe and staying focused.

That’s where my guided breathwork recordings come in. They’re designed to gently lead you through each technique, to support you to learn breathwork for anxiety in a calm, reassuring way - helping you to relax, build confidence and feel supported from the very first listen.

Whether you’re looking to calm anxiety, reset during a busy day or unwind before sleep, these recordings make it easy to bring breathwork into your daily routine — in your own time, in your own space.

👉 You can explore my breathwork recordings here.

Sometimes the simplest tools are the most powerful - and your breath is always with you.

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Looking for Personalised Support?

As well as my ready to use guided breathwork recordings, some people prefer a more personalised approach.

You’re very welcome to get in touch if you’d like:

• A personalised breathwork recording, created specifically around your needs

• One-to-one support to help with anxiety, stress or nervous system regulation

• Guidance combining breathwork with hypnotherapy for deeper, longer-lasting change

  
  

Working together allows us to tailor the breathing techniques, pace and focus so they feel right for you - whether that’s calming anxiety, improving sleep or helping you feel more in control during the day.

If you’re unsure what would suit you best, we can have a relaxed chat to explore your options and see what feels like the right next step.

👉 You can contact me here to discuss personalised recordings or one-to-one support.

Thanks for reading!

Elaine

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