--- title: "Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety" date: 2023-07-29T18:37:01Z modified: 2025-01-25T14:38:10Z permalink: "https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/" type: post status: publish excerpt: "" wpid: 187064 categories: - Anxiety - Parenting - Uncategorized - "Women's Issues" featured_image: "https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Breathing-blog-1200x628-px1.png" featured_image_alt: Deep Breathing Helps Anxiety author: Dr. Sarah Allen --- [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Breathing-blog-1200x628-px1-1024x536-1.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/) Anxiety, racing thoughts, panic attacks, and social anxiety are all too familiar feelings for many of us. If you suffer from anxiety, you know how overwhelming and debilitating it can feel, and how often it can feel like there is not much you can do to manage those feelings. But, did you know that deep breathing is one of the simplest and most natural techniques that you can use to help you feel calmer? In this blog post, we’re going to explore the five reasons why deep breathing is such an effective tool for reducing anxiety, and then describe five useful deep breathing techniques so you can find the ones that work best for you. ## Why Deep Breathing Helps Reduce Anxiety ### 1. Deep Breathing Calms Fight Or Flight [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-fight-flight-300x251.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/)While many different parts of our brain are involved in processing anxiety, one significant area is the amygdala, a small almond-shaped region in the brain that plays a crucial role in our emotional responses. When we experience a threat or stress, the amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus, which triggers a fight-or-flight response. This response results in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. This is where deep breathing comes in. When we engage in deep breathing, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to slow down the fight-or-flight response. This leads to a reduction in heart rate and the release of relaxation hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin, which slows down racing thoughts and allows you to think more clearly about your worries. ### 2. Deep Breathing Can Calm Your Thoughts [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Calms-thoughts-breathing-blog-300x171.jpg) ]()When you’re anxious, your thoughts can feel scattered and jumbled. Deep breathing can slow down your thoughts and help you to focus on how to solve the issue that caused you to feel anxious about. [Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)](https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral) asks you to identify the thoughts that are increasing your stress or overwhelm and then challenge those negative thoughts and come up with more helpful ways of thinking, but you can’t do that until deep breathing has calmed down those racing thoughts. ###### [**If you tend to overthink things read** 5 Signs You Are Overthinking & How CBT Can Help!](https://drsarahallen.com/overthinking/) So you can see that in addition to the physical benefits, deep breathing also has mental and emotional benefits. When we take deep breaths, we focus on our breathing, which can take our minds away from any anxious or stressful thoughts we might be having. Focusing on our breath can help us to be in the present moment and can give us a sense of calm. Over time, regular deep breathing can help us develop greater emotional regulation and mindfulness skills. ### 3. Deep Breathing Increases Oxygen to the Brain [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-1200x628-300x157-1.jpeg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/)Your brain needs oxygen to function properly. When you’re anxious, you may have shallow breathing, which means your brain isn’t getting as much oxygen as it needs. Deep breathing increases oxygen to the brain, which can help you to feel more relaxed and less stressed. ### ### 4. Deep Breathing Promotes Relaxation [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-1200x628-px5-300x157-1.jpeg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/)Lastly, deep breathing can also help to reduce muscle tension and promote relaxation. When we feel anxious, our muscles can become tense, which can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress. By taking deep breaths, we can help to release this tension in our muscles, which can promote relaxation and lead to a sense of calmness. ### ### 5. Breathing & PMR For Better Sleep [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-pmr-sleep--300x169.jpg) ]()Anxiety can interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Deep breathing can help to relax your body and mind, which can improve your sleep quality. If you practice deep breathing regularly, it can also train your body and mind to relax more quickly, which can help you to fall asleep faster. If you have trouble getting to sleep, I also recommend Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) when you are lying in bed. To do PMR, begin by tensing and holding the muscles in one part of your body for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, relax the same muscle group for 30 seconds while focusing on how relaxed it feels. Repeat this process with all major muscle groups, starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. ###### To read more about sleep and ways to improve it read [Sleep: Why It’s Important & How To Get It!](https://drsarahallen.com/sleep/) ## 5 Types of Deep Breathing Techniques That Help Calm Anxiety We are now going to discuss five different types of deep breathing exercises. Practice them all to find the one or two that you prefer. Practice them when you are not feeling anxious so they become a habit and you can do them, without thinking, when you need them. ### Belly Breathing [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-belly--200x300.jpg) ]()Belly breathing is one of the easiest and most effective deep breathing exercises. To practice this exercise, you need to lie down in a comfortable position or sit on a chair and place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Exhale through your mouth, feeling your belly sink back in. Repeat this exercise for 5-10 minutes, or until you feel relaxed. ### Box Breathing & Square Breathing [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathing-blog-square-with-bubbles-300x194.jpg) ]()Box breathing is a powerful technique that can quickly calm your nerves. Start by sitting or standing comfortably and inhaling deeply through your nose while counting to four. Hold your breath for a count of four, then exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Finally, hold your breath again for a count of four before repeating the cycle. A variation of this type of breathing is called Square Breathing. With square breathing, you visualize a square as you box breathe, drawing or tracing a square with your finger as you breathe. ### Alternate Nostril Breathing [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Breathing-alt-nostril-200x300.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/)Alternate nostril breathing is a yoga breathing technique that helps to balance your mind and body. To practice this exercise, sit comfortably and place your right hand on your nose. Use your thumb to close your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril. Then, close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your thumb and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril, then close it with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril. Repeat this exercise for five to 10 minutes. ### 4-7-8 Breathing [![Take a Deep Breath: How Deep Breathing Helps Combat Anxiety - Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/breathe-300x214.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/deep-breathing-helps-anxiety/)This breathing technique is developed by Dr. Andrew Weil and helps you to reduce stress, anxiety, and can even help you to fall asleep quickly. To practice 4-7-8 breathing, inhale deeply through your nose for four counts, hold your breath while counting to seven in your head, exhale through your mouth for eight counts. Repeat the cycle for five to six times. ###### Another easy way to deep breathe counting breaths can be found in my blog post [**A Simple Way To Keep Calm**](https://drsarahallen.com/keep-calm/) ### **Ocean Breathing** [![Beach Waves Mini Meditation](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Depositphotos_4436189_original-1-150x150.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/beach-meditation/)Ocean breathing is a breathing exercise that helps to calm your mind and body. To practice this exercise, sit or lie down in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, making a “hissing” or “ocean” sound. Repeat this exercise for five to 10 minutes, or until you feel relaxed. If you find the ocean relaxing read my other post **[Beach Waves Mini Meditation](https://drsarahallen.com/beach-meditation/)** ## How & Why Deep Breathing Helps Anxiety & Feeling Overwhelmed Deep breathing is a simple technique that can help you to overcome anxiety and feeling of being overwhelmed. By activating your parasympathetic nervous system, increasing oxygen to the brain, helping you to focus, reducing cortisol levels and improving your sleep quality, deep breathing can provide a range of benefits for your mental and physical health. If you’re struggling with anxiety, give deep breathing a try and see if you notice a difference. We have discussed 5 deep breathing exercises. With practice, you may find that one or two of these simple techniques can help calm you and feel more relaxed and focused. Sometimes, deep breathing alone is not enough as it doesn’t fix the situation that made you feel tense and stressed. If you have anxiety, deep breathing is the first step so you can calm your racing thoughts and think calmly about your next steps. It can be a powerful tool for managing symptoms in the moment, but you may need additional help to address the root of your anxiety. Seeing a therapist who specializes in treating anxiety can be an essential part of recovery. A therapist can provide evidence-based strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and teach you coping skills that will help you better navigate the challenges of life and learn to find balance in your life. With the help of a therapist, you can gain insight into how anxiety is impacting your day-to-day life and develop an individualized plan for managing it. [![Dr. Allen Chicago Area Anxiety & CBT Specialist.](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CBT-Instagram-Post-1080x1080-px-300x251-1.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com)If you are struggling with anxiety, counseling can be an invaluable tool for relief. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you are struggling – your mental health is worth it. To learn more about Cognitive Therapy (CBT) and how it can be used in treating many issues read my article [**What Is CBT? A Simple Guide to Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy**](https://drsarahallen.com/what-is-cbt/) For other ways to reduce anxiousness quickly read my article [7 Simple Grounding Techniques For Calming Down Quickly](https://drsarahallen.com/7-ways-to-calm/) ![Dr. Sarah Allen](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Asset-1@2x-809x1024.jpg) ## If you have any questions, or would like to set up an appointment to work with me and learn how to reduce anxiety, please contact me at [847 791-7722]() or on the form below. _If you would like to read more about me and my areas of specialty, please visit [Dr. Sarah Allen Bio](https://drsarahallen.com/about-dr-sarah/)._ _Dr. Allen’s professional licenses only allows her to work with clients who live in IL, FL & the UK and unfortunately does not allow her to give personalized advice via email to people who are not her clients._ Dr. Allen sees clients in person in her [Northbrook, IL office](https://drsarahallen.com/office-directions-1363-shermer-northbrook/) or [remotely via video or phone. ](https://drsarahallen.com/telephone-online-sessions/) [Remote Counseling](https://drsarahallen.com/telephone-online-sessions/) [In Person Appointments In Northbrook, IL](https://drsarahallen.com/contact/) Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_9" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ![](/wp-content/themes/utopian/assets/images/wall.png) ## What Can I Read That Helps Me While I Am Waiting For My First Appointment With Sarah? Download this free booklet to gain valuable insights and practical strategies for managing anxiety and worrying. ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Anxiety-and-Worry-3d1.png) - [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dr.-Sarah-Allen-Northrook-Therapist-Focuses-On-Reducing-Anxiety-e1492211628376.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/northbrook-therapist-helps-depression-anxiety-in-chicago-northshore/) ### [ Northbrook Therapist Helps Depression And Anxiety In Chicago Northshore ](https://drsarahallen.com/northbrook-therapist-helps-depression-anxiety-in-chicago-northshore/) [VIEW MORE](https://drsarahallen.com/northbrook-therapist-helps-depression-anxiety-in-chicago-northshore/) By Dr. Sarah Allen - [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Holiday-Stress-Management.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186651) ### [ Tips For A Happy and Less Stressful Holiday Part One: Lower Your Expectations ](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186651) [VIEW MORE](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186651) By Dr. Sarah Allen - [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Make-Time-For-Yourself-2.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186659) ### [ Tips For A Happy and Less Stressful Holiday – Part Two: Make Time To Look After Yourself ](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186659) [VIEW MORE](https://drsarahallen.com/?p=186659) By Dr. Sarah Allen ## As featured in [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/O_The_Oprah_Magazine.svg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bbc-logo-red-e1711144655268.jpg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Glamour-Logo.svg.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/layer1@2x.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Readers-Digest-Logo.svg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/redbook-logo.png) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/psychologist-brand-title.svg) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) [ ![](https://drsarahallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Womans-world-logo_29.webp) ](https://drsarahallen.com/media) ### Empowered to Combat Anxiety. Dr. Allen has helped me through several difficult times. She has taught me tools to use to combat anxiety which is something I have dealt with my whole life. She has empowered me and given me strength that I didn’t know I had. I am so thankful! #### Beth R. ### Excellent Therapist! Dr. Allen is a colleague of mine and she is an excellent therapist. She is warm, caring, and exceptional at her work. I refer clients to Dr. Allen and I highly recommend her if you are looking for a top notch therapist. #### Jodi Petchenik, LCSW ### Dr. Allen Helped Me to Feel More Empowered Dr. Allen has really helped me find my own voice. When I began therapy I would swing between being passive and doing whatever other people wanted me to do to being angry and frustrated. I have been on antidepressants for quite a few years but it wasn’t really working. Through therapy I have learned to listen to my own needs and to speak up. I used to worry that people wouldn’t like me if I didn’t agree with them but when Dr. Allen gave me the support I needed I challenged my fears. I spend a lot less time feeling angry and depressed now and I have really widened my social network. This is how I have always wanted to be but didn’t know how to get there. Dr. Allen has a very reassuring manner and makes you challenge yourself but by using small steps so you feel ready to do it. I have really come out of my shell and would recommend anyone who is feeling depressed to come and talk with her. #### Rebecca F. ### Worrier No More. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a worrier and when my doctor suggested therapy instead of an antidepressant I didn’t think it could really help. I was totally wrong. I don’t spend so much time worrying about the “what ifs” now and concentrate on working on things that are in my control to change in the “here and now” rather than in the past or future. I spend much less time in my head worrying about everything and now have useful strategies to deal with many situations at home and at work. Life is much less stressful and I find myself teaching people I manage at work the strategies Dr. Allen taught me. #### Marcia B. ### Worry & Panic Attacks Transformed by Dr. Allen Last year I was so crippled by anxiety and panic attacks and I didn’t believe that anything or anyone would be able to help me. Since seeing you my life has changed forever and I am finally turning into the person that I always wanted to be…and the person I never thought I could be. You will be the person I call if I start to feel that way again. #### Wendy T. ### Trusted & Knowledgeable Therapist. When I need to refer any of my patients for talk therapy I immediately think of Dr. Allen as she is wonderful at helping people with severe and complex issues really get to the root of their problems. She is very caring and knowledgeable and I have found her extensive experience really helps people to change their lives for the better. #### Dr. Teresa Poprawski ## Topics **Categories:** [Anxiety](https://drsarahallen.com/category/anxiety/), [Parenting](https://drsarahallen.com/category/parenting/), [Uncategorized](https://drsarahallen.com/category/uncategorized/), [Women's Issues](https://drsarahallen.com/category/womens-issues/)