Anxiety Isn’t Just in the Mind, It’s in the Breath Too
A Gentle Path Back to Calm
My own experience with anxiety and panic disorder is what first paved the road toward teaching people how to breathe better.
At the time, I was seeking help for the intense feelings that would arise before public speaking and meetings, along with the nocturnal panic attacks that would wake me around 30 minutes after falling asleep. During one appointment, a Naturopath made an observation that would quietly change everything: I wasn’t breathing well.
I hadn’t expected my breathing to be assessed, and I certainly didn’t expect him to say that my breathing rhythm was almost the opposite of what it should be, and likely contributing to my symptoms. Something landed in that moment. A penny dropped.
Years later, this same pattern shows up again and again in the clients I work with at Breathscape.
How Anxiety and Panic Disorder Often Show Up in the Breath
Many of my clients living with anxiety, panic disorder, or constantly busy minds sense that something is off with their breathing but they don’t know where to begin restoring it to its natural, healthy state. Others have never paid much attention to how they breathe and are surprised to learn just how deeply interconnected the breath, body, and mind really are.
When I ask these clients to describe their breathing, I hear very similar things:
“It feels like my breath sits in my chest”
“It doesn’t feel like a full breath”
“It feels rushed or cut off”
“I constantly feel like I’m not getting enough air”
“I don’t trust my nose”
“I know I’m a chronic mouth breather”
From the outside, I often observe:
Movement in the upper chest and shoulders
There’s no natural pause at the end of their exhale
Audible breathing on the inhale, exhale, or both
A breathing rate that is higher than the body actually needs
Together, these patterns often mean the person is breathing more than their body metabolically requires despite feeling like they’re not getting enough air.
Why the Way We Breathe Shapes the Way We Feel
The breath and nervous system operate as a two-way street.
The mind is constantly reading signals from the body, and the body is constantly responding to the mind. Breathing is one of the clearest signals the nervous system pays attention to.
If the mind senses a breathing pattern that is fast, effortful, or shallow, it interprets this as stress or threat. If breathing is calm, gentle, and unforced, the mind interprets this as safety.
Breathing doesn’t cause anxiety but it can very easily feed it.
When the breath begins to soften, slow, and quieten, the nervous system receives an invitation to shift out of survival mode and into rest, repair, and digestion.
The Vagus Nerve: A Key Player in Nervous System Regulation
One of the most important nerves involved in this process is the vagus nerve, sometimes called the wandering nerve.
It travels from the base of the brain, through the throat, heart, and lungs, and down into the digestive organs. Because of this pathway, breathing has a direct influence on vagal activity.
The vagus nerve responds positively to signals such as:
Slow, gentle breathing
Nasal breathing
An exhale that is longer than the inhale
Light breath holds
Humming or gentle vibration
Softness and ease in the body
When these signals are present, the vagus nerve helps shift the nervous system toward regulation and safety.
Anxiety, the Nervous System, and the Seesaw Effect
For many people living with anxiety and panic disorder, the nervous system behaves like a seesaw stuck at an angle.
On one end is the sympathetic nervous system; the fight-or-flight response, where the body prepares for danger. On the other end is the parasympathetic nervous system; rest and digest, where healing and regulation occur.
Many anxious nervous systems spend far too much time in sympathetic activation, with limited access to true rest.
Learning the language of the vagus nerve becomes one of the most effective ways to bring that seesaw back toward balance and to build stronger vagal tone over time.
Supporting Nervous System Regulation in Daily Life
Breathing is foundational, but it doesn’t exist in isolation. Activities that support nervous system regulation tend to be those that reduce stimulation and increase rhythm, predictability, and grounding.
These may include:
Reducing screen time, especially at night
Going to bed at a consistent time & getting quality sleep
Practicing Buteyko Breathing Method techniques that are light, slow, and low
Spending regular time in nature
Getting early morning sunlight to encourage cortisol to rise naturally
Incorporating grounding practices such as Yin or Restorative Yoga
Limited alcohol and caffeine
Why Some Breathing Exercises Can Make Anxiety Worse
Many people with anxiety have tried breathing exercises only to feel more uncomfortable, short of breath, or panicky.
This often happens with breathing apps or group classes that instruct slow, fixed breathing rhythms that don’t take the individual’s baseline into account.
One important factor is respiratory rate. A calm, regulated nervous system typically breathes around 10–12 breaths per minute. Someone with an unsettled nervous system may sit closer to 16–18 breaths per minute, even at rest. Higher when symptoms of panic arise.
If that person is suddenly asked to breathe at six breaths per minute, the jump is too drastic. While this may be a long-term goal, it needs to be approached gradually.
When breathing is slowed too quickly, a common complaint is: “It feels like I’m getting less air, not more.” Instead of relaxation, the body experiences stress.
Carbon Dioxide: The Missing Piece in Breathing and Anxiety
One of the most misunderstood aspects of breathing is the role of carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Contrary to popular belief, oxygen does not control our breathing drive, carbon dioxide does.
People with anxiety often have a heightened sensitivity to CO₂. When stress increases, breathing becomes faster and deeper, causing excess CO₂ to be breathed off. This can worsen symptoms such as air hunger, dizziness, and chest tightness.
CO₂ also plays a critical role in oxygen delivery. Oxygen binds to haemoglobin in the blood, but it is the presence of adequate CO₂ that allows oxygen to be released into the tissues. Think of haemoglobin and O₂ as best friends, it's a great friendship but we need to add another to the group to make it more efficient, this is where CO₂ comes in.
When CO₂ levels drop too low, oxygen offloading becomes less efficient, contributing to the feeling of not getting enough air. This can be from mouth breathing and or breathing a respiratory rate that is too hard and fast.
This is where the Buteyko Breathing Method & Breathscape becomes so valuable.
Rather than forcing deep or slow breaths, Buteyko focuses on reducing breathing volume gently, improving tolerance to CO₂, and restoring a calm, efficient breathing pattern that the nervous system recognises as safe.
A Gentle Path Back to Safety
Breathing retraining is not about pushing, forcing, or overriding the body. It’s about meeting the nervous system where it is and gradually guiding it back toward balance.
For those living with anxiety and panic disorder, learning to breathe in a way that supports the nervous system can be a powerful step toward feeling safer, calmer, and more at home in their body.
Book a free call back with Breathscape today, to explore your path to better breathing and a stronger nervous system.
