Course:
HIGH-STRESS BREATHING
Breathing is something we do automatically, usually without having to think about it. However, when we become stressed, anxious, frightened or overwhelmed, our breathing can change significantly. It may become faster, shallower, deeper, irregular or more forceful.
Learning to influence breathing can be a useful self-regulation skill, but more breathing is not necessarily better breathing. Effective breathing exercises should be approached gradually and comfortably rather than treated as something that needs to be pushed to an extreme.
The most important principle throughout this course is comfort.
Breathing exercises should generally feel manageable and should not require you to strain, force your breath or compete with a particular target. You do not need to take the biggest breath possible, hold your breath for as long as possible or breathe as quickly as possible to benefit from a breathing exercise.
Think of breathing practice as developing a skill rather than completing a physical challenge.
A useful approach is:
Comfort → Control → Consistency → Confidence
If an exercise feels uncomfortable, reduce the intensity, shorten the duration or return to your normal breathing.
Some breathing techniques intentionally alter the depth, speed or pattern of breathing. If someone breathes more than their body requires, carbon dioxide levels in the blood can fall. This can contribute to sensations such as:
😵 Light-headedness or dizziness
✨ Tingling in the hands, feet or around the mouth
🌀 Feeling disconnected or unusual
😮💨 A sensation of breathlessness
💓 Changes in heartbeat or awareness of the heartbeat
😰 Increased anxiety or panic
These sensations can sometimes be mistaken for evidence that an exercise is “working.” They are not a requirement for successful breathing practice.
If these sensations occur, stop or reduce the exercise and return to comfortable, natural breathing.
Breathing and the nervous system are closely connected.
When we perceive danger or significant stress, the body can shift towards a state of increased alertness. Breathing may become faster or more forceful, muscles may tense and attention may become focused on potential threats.
This response can be useful when immediate action is required. However, when the stress response continues after the situation has passed, uncomfortable physical sensations can sometimes reinforce feelings of anxiety.
For example:
Stress → faster breathing → physical sensations → concern about those sensations → increased stress → further changes in breathing
Breathing exercises can be used as one way of interrupting this cycle.
The purpose is not to force the body into a particular state. Instead, breathing practice can help a person develop greater awareness and learn ways of responding to changes in breathing without immediately becoming alarmed by them.
There can be a tendency to assume that an exercise must feel intense to be useful.
This is particularly important with breathing exercises.
A gentle breathing exercise may involve simply:
👃 Becoming aware of the breath
🌬️ Allowing the breath to become comfortable and natural
⏱️ Gradually slowing the breathing rhythm
💨 Making the exhalation slightly longer without forcing it
🪑 Maintaining a relaxed posture
🧠 Paying attention to physical sensations without judging them
Small changes can be meaningful.
The objective is to develop a person’s ability to recognise their breathing patterns and respond to them appropriately.
Stopping an exercise is not failure.
If you experience significant discomfort, dizziness, chest pain, severe breathlessness, faintness, overwhelming panic or other concerning symptoms, stop the exercise.
Return to normal, unforced breathing and allow yourself to settle.
If symptoms are severe, persistent, unusual for you or concerning, seek appropriate medical assistance rather than assuming they are simply part of the breathing exercise.
Breathing exercises that involve breath-holding, substantial changes in breathing or techniques that may cause dizziness should only be practised in a safe environment.
Avoid practising these techniques while:
🚗 Driving
🏊 Swimming or in water
🏗️ Working at heights
⚙️ Operating machinery
🚲 Riding or performing activities where reduced awareness could cause an accident
🔥 Around hazards where fainting or loss of awareness could result in injury
When learning a new technique, it is generally preferable to practise while seated somewhere safe and stable.
Breathing exercises are not a substitute for medical assessment or treatment.
People with significant respiratory, cardiovascular or other medical conditions should seek appropriate professional advice before beginning a structured breathing program.
This is particularly important if a person experiences unexplained chest pain, significant shortness of breath, fainting, frequent dizziness or other concerning physical symptoms.
A healthcare professional can help determine whether particular breathing exercises are appropriate and whether modifications are required.
There is no single breathing technique that works identically for everyone.
One person may find slow breathing calming, while another may initially become more aware of uncomfortable sensations when focusing closely on their breath.
This is why breathing practice should be individualised and flexible.
If focusing on breathing increases anxiety or discomfort, it may be more appropriate to reduce the intensity of the exercise or shift attention towards another grounding strategy.
The goal of this course is not to create extreme changes in breathing.
Instead, the focus is on developing practical skills that can help participants:
🫁 Understand their breathing patterns
🧠 Recognise the connection between breathing and stress
🌿 Practise comfortable breathing techniques
😌 Develop greater control over their response to stress
🔎 Become more aware of physical sensations
💪 Build confidence in using breathing as one part of their self-regulation toolkit
Breathing is only one component of managing stress. It can be combined with other strategies such as grounding, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, movement, sleep routines, social connection and professional support where appropriate.
You should never feel that you have to “push through” a breathing exercise.
If it feels comfortable, continue.
If it feels challenging, reduce the intensity.
If it feels significantly uncomfortable or causes concerning symptoms, stop.
The goal is not to master your breath by force — it is to develop a safer, more comfortable relationship with your breathing.
