Breathwork for Nervous System Regulation
Our breath is one of the most powerful tools we have to shift the state of our nervous system. While we often take it for granted, conscious breathwork can help us move out of stress and into calm, balance, and resilience.
Understanding the Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system has two main branches:
Sympathetic (fight-or-flight): Activated by stress, it increases heart rate, muscle tension, and alertness.
Parasympathetic (rest-and-digest): Calms the body, slows the heart rate, and promotes relaxation and healing.
Chronic stress or trauma can keep us stuck in fight-or-flight mode. Breathwork offers a direct way to shift into the parasympathetic state, supporting emotional regulation and physical well-being .
How Breathwork Helps
Breathing techniques influence the vagus nerve, a key pathway that connects breath with heart rate, digestion, and emotional balance. Slow, intentional breathing has been shown to:
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
Reduce anxiety and improve mood
Enhance emotional regulation
Support trauma recovery by calming hyperarousal
Techniques to Try
Here are a few beginner-friendly practices:
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breath): Place one hand on your belly, inhale deeply through the nose so your hand rises, exhale slowly. This signals safety to the nervous system.
Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. This creates rhythm and steadiness.
Extended Exhale: Inhale gently, then exhale for twice as long. Lengthening the exhale increases parasympathetic activity and relaxation.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana): Inhale through one nostril, exhale through the other, alternating sides. This balances both hemispheres of the brain and promotes calm focus.
Breathwork for Stress, Anxiety, and Trauma
Stress: Helps release tension and shift out of the constant alert state.
Anxiety: Brings awareness back to the body and steadies racing thoughts.
Trauma: When practiced gently and safely, breathwork can restore a sense of grounding and control, making it a valuable tool in trauma-sensitive care .
Getting Started
Start small. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference. The more regularly you practice, the more your nervous system learns to return to balance. Breath is always available, making it one of the simplest and most accessible healing tools we have.
