Breath & Emotions
The Connection Between Breath and Emotion: How Breathwork Can Help Regulate Your Nervous System and Release Stored Emotions
Have you ever noticed how your breath changes with your emotions? When you're stressed, it becomes shallow and fast. When you're relaxed, it slows down naturally. Breath and emotion are deeply connected—so much so that by intentionally working with your breath, you can shift the way you feel, release tension, and regulate your nervous system.
How Breath Reflects Your Emotional State
Your breath is more than just an automatic function—it’s a direct reflection of your nervous system. When you experience stress, fear, or overwhelm, your body activates its fight-or-flight response. Your breath quickens, your muscles tense, and your heart rate increases. This is your body’s way of preparing for a perceived threat.
On the other hand, when you feel safe and calm, your breath naturally slows. Your body enters a parasympathetic state, often called ‘rest and digest,’ where relaxation and healing can occur.
Many of us live in a constant state of low-level stress, meaning our breath is often restricted without us even realising it. Over time, this shallow breathing pattern reinforces tension in the body, making it harder to process emotions and truly feel at ease.
Breath as a Pathway to Emotional Release
Unprocessed emotions don’t just vanish—they get stored in the body. This can show up as tightness in the chest, tension in the gut, or even chronic muscle pain. Since breath is directly connected to the nervous system, it can act as a bridge to these stored emotions, helping to release what has been held in for too long.
When we engage in intentional breathwork, we invite the body to complete stress cycles, release emotional weight, and restore a sense of balance. It’s not just about breathing deeply—it’s about using the breath as a tool to regulate and reset.
Breathwork and Nervous System Regulation
Different breathing techniques can support different states of the nervous system:
Calming Techniques (for stress and anxiety)
Slow, deep breathing—like box breathing (inhaling for 4, holding for 4, exhaling for 4, holding for 4)—helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing the body into a relaxed state.Energising Techniques (for low energy or stagnation)
Faster, more intentional breaths—like breath of fire or rhythmic inhales and exhales—can help clear mental fog, release pent-up emotions, and restore vitality.Deep Release Techniques (for emotional processing)
Conscious connected breathing, where the inhale and exhale are linked in a continuous flow, can bring emotions to the surface, helping the body process and integrate past experiences.
Integrating Breathwork into Your Daily Life
You don’t need long sessions to experience the benefits of breathwork. Here are a few simple ways to start:
Morning Reset: Take 1-2 minutes of slow belly breathing to set the tone for your day.
During Stressful Moments: Try extending your exhale (inhale for 4, exhale for 6) to calm the nervous system.
Before Sleep: Use gentle, deep breathing to signal safety to your body and prepare for rest.
During Emotional Waves: Allow yourself to breathe through emotions instead of resisting them, letting the breath support your body’s natural process of release.
Your Breath as an Anchor
Your breath is always with you, offering a way back to balance no matter what life throws your way. By reconnecting with it, you can move through stress, release what no longer serves you, and cultivate a deeper sense of presence and ease in your body.
💭 Have you ever tried breathwork? How has it impacted your body and emotions?