From overwhelm to calm: how to use breathwork to regulate your nervous system
We live in a world that constantly demands our attention, productivity, and energy. Deadlines, notifications, and unexpected challenges create a relentless cycle of stress, leaving many professionals feeling overwhelmed and drained.
But what if you had an internal switch that could shift you from stress to calm, anytime you needed it?
You do.
It’s your breath.
By learning to control your breathing, you can regulate your nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve focus in minutes.
Let’s explore how breathwork helps you transition from overwhelm to calm, and the best techniques to regain balance whenever you need it.
The science: how breathwork regulates the nervous system
Your body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls automatic functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing. It has two branches:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): the “fight or flight” mode, activated by stress, increases heart rate and keeps the body in a high-alert state.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): the “rest and digest” mode, which slows the heart rate, promotes relaxation, and supports recovery.
When stress levels remain high for too long, the sympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, keeping you in a chronic state of tension, anxiety, and overthinking. This leads to poor focus, sleep disturbances, digestive issues, and emotional exhaustion.
Breathwork acts as a bridge between the two systems, giving you direct control over your nervous system response.
By changing the way you breathe, you can:
Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Shifting from fight-or-flight to a state of relaxation.Lower cortisol levels
Reducing stress hormones and increasing emotional resilience.Improve oxygen efficiency
Enhancing brain function, focus, and mental clarity.Regulate heart rate variability (HRV)
Supporting a stronger stress response and better recovery.
The key is knowing when to use breathwork to prevent stress from becoming overwhelming.
Recognizing your triggers: when to use breathwork
Many people ignore early stress signals until they feel completely overwhelmed. Learning to recognize these signs helps you intervene before stress spirals out of control.
What you might feel or experience:
Tension in the body
Tight shoulders, clenched jaw, shallow breathing.Racing thoughts
Overanalyzing, replaying scenarios, trouble making decisions.Irritability or frustration
Short patience, reactive behavior, difficulty focusing.Energy crashes
Afternoon fatigue, difficulty staying alert.Sleep disturbances
Difficulty falling asleep or waking up anxious.
If you experience any of these, your nervous system may be stuck in sympathetic overdrive. Using breathwork in the moment can help bring your body back to balance.
Breathwork techniques to shift from overwhelm to calm
Here are four practical breathwork techniques to help regulate your nervous system when you feel overwhelmed.
1. The physiological sigh
Best used for: instant nervous system reset when anxiety spikes.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through the nose until your lungs are about 80% full.
Take a second quick inhale on top of the first breath (this fully expands the lungs).
Exhale slowly and completely through the mouth.
Repeat 2-3 times.
Why it works: the double inhale and long exhale mimics the body’s natural sighing mechanism, instantly calming the nervous system and lowering stress levels
The physiological sigh can offer an instant nervous system reset.
2. Coherent breathing
Best used for: regulating emotions, improving heart rate variability (HRV), and reducing tension.
How to do it:
Inhale through the nose for 5 seconds.
Exhale through the nose for 5 seconds.
Maintain this 6-breaths-per-minute rhythm for 10 minutes.
Why it works: This technique synchronizes breathing with heart rate, creating a steady, balanced nervous system response that reduces emotional reactivity.
The coherent breath helps to regulate emotions.
3. The 4-7-8 breathing pattern
Best used for: Relaxing before bed or transitioning out of work mode.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold the breath for 7 seconds.
Exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat for 4-6 rounds.
Why it works: The extended exhale lowers cortisol levels, making it one of the most effective breathwork techniques for sleep and relaxation.
The 4-7-8 breath can trigger a sense of calm and relaxation.
4. Box breathing
Best used for: regaining focus before an important task or decision.
How to do it:
Inhale for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Exhale for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Why it works: this structured breathing technique stabilizes the nervous system and sharpens concentration under pressure.
The box breath can help you regain focus.
Building a breathwork routine for long-term nervous system regulation
While breathwork is powerful in the moment, regular practice helps retrain your nervous system to handle stress more effectively.
Here’s some ways you can integrate it into your daily routine:
Morning reset: start your day with coherent breathing to set a calm foundation.
Midday stress management: use physiological sighs when tension builds up.
Evening wind-down: practice 4-7-8 breathing before bed for deep relaxation.
By consistently training your breath, you increase your resilience to stress, improve emotional balance, and feel more in control of your responses.
Final thoughts: breathwork as your nervous system reset button
The way you breathe influences how you think, feel, and respond to life. By practicing breathwork, you gain control over your nervous system, allowing you to shift from stress to calm whenever needed.
If you found this helpful, you might also like to check out:
Feel like you're drowning at work? Here's the breath you need to stay afloat
From reactive to regulated: breathwork for emotional control
Ready to experience the power of breathwork in action?
Click here to download Master Your Breath, Own The Moment, your free step-by-step guide to reducing anxiety and increasing confidence in just five breaths.
