How Stress Affects Your Breathing

When people talk about wellness, they often separate mental health from physical health, as if one doesn’t directly impact the other. However, in reality, your mind and body are deeply interconnected. When your mental health is suffering, your physical health takes a hit too. This connection becomes especially clear when you consider how stress affects your breathing.

The Stress-Breathing Cycle: How Stress Impacts Your Breathing

Stress has a direct impact on your body’s functions, and your breathing is one of the first things to change. When you’re stressed, your body is not in a relaxed state, which alters how and where you breathe from. What’s interesting is that as we age, our natural breathing patterns tend to shift from deep belly breathing (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) to more shallow chest breathing.

Chest breathing is a symptom of stress. It signals to your brain that you’re in a state of tension, which perpetuates the stress response. When you experience stress, your body goes into “fight or flight mode,” releasing cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. This triggers shallow, rapid breathing and causes muscle tension. In this state, your body’s priority is survival—focusing on running or fleeing—rather than resting and digesting.

But it doesn’t stop there. Stress can also release adrenaline, which causes your respiratory system to work even harder. Your heart rate increases, your blood pressure spikes, and you find yourself breathing quickly, in a shallow, erratic manner.

Diaphragmatic Breathing: A Simple Way to Reduce Stress

The good news is, there are ways to calm your body down in moments of stress—and it all starts with changing how you breathe. One highly effective technique is diaphragmatic breathing. While it might seem counterintuitive to focus on breathing when stress is already messing with it, deep belly breathing is exactly what your body needs.

Instead of breathing from your chest, try to consciously shift your focus to diaphragmatic breathing—slow, deep breaths that come from your belly. This type of breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a relaxed state. By practicing diaphragmatic breathing, you can reduce your heart rate, lower your respiratory rate, and signal to your body that it’s safe to relax.

Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing for Stress Relief

• Reduces cortisol levels: By slowing down your breathing and deepening each breath, diaphragmatic breathing helps lower cortisol, the stress hormone.
• Lowers heart rate: Deep breathing from the diaphragm triggers the body’s relaxation response, which naturally slows the heart rate.
• Improves oxygen flow: Breathing deeply allows more oxygen into your lungs, promoting better oxygen flow throughout the body and reducing tension.
• Promotes mindfulness: Diaphragmatic breathing encourages mindfulness by focusing on each inhale and exhale, helping you stay grounded during stressful situations.

How to Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Find a comfortable position: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position where you can fully relax your muscles.
• Place your hand on your abdomen: Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
• Inhale deeply through your nose: Breathe in slowly, making sure your belly rises as you inhale.
• Exhale fully: Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly fall as you release the air.
• Repeat: Continue this process for 5-10 minutes, focusing on each breath and allowing your body to fully relax.

By incorporating diaphragmatic breathing exercises into your daily routine, you can improve your ability to manage stress and keep your body in a healthier, more balanced state.

Conclusion: Breathing and Stress Are Linked

The connection between stress and breathing is undeniable. When stress takes over, your breathing patterns change—shifting to shallow chest breathing that can heighten your stress levels even more. However, by practicing diaphragmatic breathing, you can calm your body, reduce your stress response, and improve both your mental and physical health.

Whether you’re dealing with everyday stress or looking for a natural way to reduce anxiety, focusing on your breathing is a simple yet powerful tool. Try deep belly breathing today and see how it transforms the way you feel.