Breathe Your Way Out of Anxiety w/ Neuroscience 🧠
Unlock the calming power of your breath with techniques inspired by Navy SEALS and neuroscience (7min Read)
TL;DR Summary
Anxiety often feels overwhelming, especially for those healing from trauma, but natural tools like breathing techniques can provide relief.
Your body’s stress systems, the SNS and HPA Axis, are responsible for the physical feelings of anxiety.
Deep, controlled breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which calms the body and reduces stress.
Five simple techniques – including Box Breathing, Diaphragmatic Breathing, and the 4-7-8 Technique – can quickly lower anxiety.
The Komuso Shift, a wearable breathing tool, can help you extend exhalations and stay grounded throughout the day.
Consistent practice with these techniques builds resilience and supports a more relaxed nervous system.
Welcome Back
The number one thing I get asked for is tools to combat anxiety.
So, today, I’m giving away some of my best-kept secrets.
These are tools I use with my private clients and myself to beat anxiety quickly!
Considering that since the pandemic & a full election year, anxiety rates have spiked by nearly 300% in the U.S., now seemed like the right time to get this blog out there!
Fortunately, the number one tool to help you manage anxiety is something you do over twenty thousand times per day…
Breathe.
So, I’d like to cover what exactly “anxiety” is, and then give you five powerful breathing techniques to help you combat anxiety, anytime, anywhere.
Let’s dive in!
Understanding the Neuroscience of Anxiety
To fully harness the power of these tools, let’s dive into the science behind why they work.
First of all, what even is “anxiety”? I’ve written about this before, but let’s review it briefly.
Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a central role in managing anxiety.
It has two main branches:
The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) – Often called the “fight or flight” system, it kicks in during times of stress, increasing your heart rate and breathing as your body prepares to face or escape a threat.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS) – Known as the “rest and digest” system, it helps calm your body down after a stressful experience.
When anxiety hits, the SNS is in overdrive, preparing you for action even when there’s no real danger.
It’s this activation of your SNS when you’re least expecting it that most people would call “anxiety.”
The HPA Axis and Anxiety: A Bodyguard on High Alert
The other system we need to talk about is your HPA Axis.
This one can be a bit complicated because it’s part endocrine system and part nervous system, so here’s my best attempt at simplifying it for you!
Imagine your body has its own built-in security team, always watching out for danger, whether it's real or just a feeling that something isn’t right.
The HPA Axis (or Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis) is like the head of security, alert and ready to jump into action whenever a threat is sensed.
Here's how it works:
The Alarm Goes Off – Imagine you hear a noise at night. It might just be the wind, but your "head of security," the hypothalamus, doesn't take any chances. It immediately sends out an alarm, signaling to the next team member in line: the pituitary gland.
The Security Team Gathers – The pituitary gland, like a seasoned security captain, gets the team moving by releasing a hormone called ACTH (let’s think of it as the “all-hands-on-deck” signal). This signal tells the adrenal glands, your body’s “muscle” in this security operation, to prepare for action.
Calling in Cortisol, the Head Bodyguard – Once the adrenal glands get the signal, they release cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, like sending out a chief bodyguard. Cortisol helps keep you alert, quick, and ready to respond if there’s real danger.
But here’s the tricky part: if your body’s security team is on high alert all the time, constantly releasing cortisol, it can wear down the system, making you feel anxious, tense, and always on edge.
Just like a security team that never gets a break, your body starts feeling the strain of being on high alert.
Over time, this can lead to ongoing feelings of anxiety—even when there’s no real threat!
How Breathing Impacts Your Brain and Body
You might be surprised that even though what’s going on in your Nervous System is complicated, the solution is simple, and you’re doing it right now.
Breathing.
That being said, how on earth is it possible that something so simple can calm us down & deactivate these complex systems?!
Deep, intentional breathing activates the PSNS, primarily by stimulating the vagus nerve, which sends calming signals to the brain.
I’ve written an entire blog about the near-superhuman abilities of the vagus nerve, so I suggest reading that if you’d like to go deeper on the topic.
Slow, controlled breathing also reduces cortisol levels and promotes the release of endorphins, our natural “feel-good” chemicals.
This not only decreases anxiety but also enhances feelings of calm and well-being.
Five Easy Breathing Techniques for Anxiety Relief
Alright, enough neuroscience, here are the techniques and tools!
You can do these anywhere and anytime to help combat anxiety, mostly only require 2-5mins to start working.
1. Box Breathing
A simple but powerful technique used by Navy SEALS, box breathing involves four steps:
Inhale for a count of four.
Hold for a count of four.
Exhale for a count of four.
Hold for a count of four.
This structured pattern helps regulate breathing and balance the nervous system.
2. Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Breathe deeply through your nose, expanding your diaphragm (belly) rather than your chest.
Exhale slowly through your mouth.
Diaphragmatic breathing engages the PSNS, signaling your body to relax.
Even two to three breaths throughout the day can lower anxiety levels.
3. Heart Coherence Breathing
Heart coherence breathing aligns your respiration rate, blood pressure, and heart rate, creating a “resonance frequency.”
Aim for an inhale and exhale of about 5.5 seconds each.
Studies show that this rhythm can improve heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of a relaxed, balanced nervous system.
It’s a great practice to start your day or to unwind before bed.
4. Double Nasal Inhale (Physiological Sigh)
Popularized by Dr. Andrew Huberman’s lab, the physiological sigh combines two nasal inhales followed by a long exhale through the mouth:
Inhale deeply through your nose almost to full lung capacity.
Take a second, shorter nasal inhale.
Exhale fully through your mouth.
This technique has been shown to lower stress, improve mood, and enhance focus.
It’s effective because it increases CO₂ tolerance, which has a calming effect on the brain and body.
5. The 4-7-8 Technique
Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, this breathing exercise slows everything down, helping to ease stress and make you feel grounded.
Here’s how it works:
Inhale for 4 Seconds – Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, counting to four. Imagine you’re filling your lungs like you’d fill a glass with water, from the bottom up.
Hold for 7 Seconds – Now, hold that breath for a count of seven. This pause gives your body a chance to absorb the oxygen and starts to nudge it into a relaxed state.
Exhale for 8 Seconds – Gently exhale through your mouth for a full eight seconds. Imagine you’re blowing out a long, slow breath through a straw, releasing all the air (and tension) from your body.
This extended exhale is key because it activates the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which calms you down.
The 4-7-8 technique works especially well before bed because it’s like a natural sedative for your body, signaling it’s time to relax and let go!
My Favorite Breathing Tool: Komuso Shift
Speaking of extending your exhale, if you follow me on social media, you’ve likely seen me wearing a necklace that looks like a whistle.
However, it’s actually a breathing tool from Komuso Design called a Shift!
The Komuso Shift is a science-backed tool inspired by Japanese mindfulness practices and it helps you extend your exhale like I was just talking about.
I wear mine constantly because it serves as a visual and physical reminder to pause, breathe, and center myself throughout the day.
I’ve found it works best with the Physiological Sigh & the 4-7-8 Technique above.
I breathe in through my nose like normal, and then let it out through my Shift, which extends my exhale the perfect amount to get my parasympathetic nervous system up and running!
It’s like having a panic attack stopper around my neck all day.
If you're interested in trying it out, you can find more details on their website: Komuso Shift.
And if you’d like to support the blog, and get one for yourself, or as a gift for a loved one, use the button below for 15% off!
Remember to Breathe
These techniques may seem simple, but with regular practice, they can become powerful allies in managing anxiety.
And, as always, if anxiety feels overwhelming, reach out to a mental health professional, breathing isn’t the same as therapy or coaching.
Healing isn’t linear, but each small step, including learning to breathe intentionally, moves you closer to a calmer, healthier self.
Until next time… Live Heroically 🧠
Supporting Research
Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848
Huberman, A. (n.d.). Physiological sighing. Huberman Lab. Retrieved from https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/5sTeMxy4
Aktaş, G. K., & İlgin, V. E. (2023). The Effect of Deep Breathing Exercise and 4-7-8 Breathing Techniques Applied to Patients After Bariatric Surgery on Anxiety and Quality of Life. Obesity surgery, 33(3), 920–929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-022-06405-1
Such a lovely and an insightful one 🙌🏻