Anxiety can show up when you least expect it. Breathwork brings you back to the here and now.

What does Anxiety feel like in your body? Maybe it’s racing thoughts, hearing them play over and over like a broken record? Perhaps your chest tightens and your heart starts to race. Take a look at your hands, are they sweaty and clammy? Anxiety can creep in at anytime, day or night. Are you racing to finish a deadline? Your boss just asked you to start it last night. It’s due the next day. Breath work is something you can do pretty much anywhere. Gentle not complicated at all. It’s something your brain and body already knows how to do.

Why Breathwork Helps with Anxiety

Breath work has endless benefits. For starters, it can slow your heart rate bringing your body into that parasympathetic nervous system. This is also known as your rest and digest. Or your relaxation response. Fight or flight is useful when you’re in real danger. It’s your body’s response to kicking into gear that I need to find safety fast! I like to use the example, you’re running from a bear that chasing you through the woods. To get you away from that danger quickly your body will naturally produce a chemical called cortisol. Cortisol may help you run faster so your heart increases blood pressure increases as well. In a short period of time these are good. If your body is in this fight or flight stage all the time, it isn’t good. It can be very dangerous. This can create high blood pressure which can lead to heart and other health issues. Breath work brings your mind and body back to the current moment. Being intentional with your breathing can naturally reduce and lower your blood pressure. Now, we’re going to keep things nice and easy. We will do a simple breathing exercise. You can do it anywhere: at your desk, in your car, or while taking a walk around the neighborhood.

Start with Simple Deep Breathing

Let’s start with a simple deep inhale through your nose. Feel your rib cage expand. Allow your belly to pull outwards. On your next breath just exhale through your mouth letting go of what’s no longer serving you. If you can try to do 5 breaths. Keep it slow and steady there is no right or wrong way to do it.

A Simple 4-4-4 Breathing Technique

This is a simple technique, just remember the number 4. This is simply the 4-4-4 breathing exercise. Take a nice deep inhale through your nose filling the lungs fully. At the very top of that inhale hold your breath and count to 4. Now, exhale for 4 seconds and simply repeat! This is one of my favorite quick breath work exercises. It rapidly restores your nervous system to that resting state I talked about earlier.

Reflection

A gentle reminder: there is no need for perfection or pressure. Your body is designed perfectly to do what it already knows which is to breathe! When you feel those first few moments of anxiety start to rattle your brain come back to this breath work. It’s simple—and your body responds to it naturally.