Why “Just Breathe” Doesn’t Always Help with Anxiety
If you’ve ever been told to “just breathe” during a wave of anxiety, you know it’s not always comforting. You’re overwhelmed, your heart is racing, and your mind is in overdrive. Being told to focus on your breathing can feel like someone trying to fix a broken dam with a single piece of tape.
Breathing can be helpful, but anxiety isn’t that simple. It’s not just about slowing down your breath; it’s about navigating the storm of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that come with it. Let’s look at why “just breathe” doesn’t always cut it—and what might help instead.
What Anxiety Actually Feels Like
When anxiety kicks in, it doesn’t stay neatly in one part of your body. Your heart might race, your muscles tense up, and your thoughts spiral. It feels like your whole system is on high alert, even if there’s no actual danger.
Breathing faster and shallower is part of this fight-or-flight response. And while slowing your breath can help signal your brain to relax, anxiety is rarely something you can breathe away in the moment. This is where the advice to “just breathe” falls short—it doesn’t address what’s happening beyond the physical symptoms.
How Breathing Can Help
The way you breathe affects your nervous system. When you slow your breath and make it deeper, it can calm your body and help you feel more grounded. But it’s not a magic fix. It works best when you’re intentional about it and when it’s paired with other strategies that address the mental and emotional sides of anxiety.
For example, structured breathing techniques like box breathing (inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four) are often more effective than simply “taking deep breaths.” Breathing with purpose helps shift your body into a more relaxed state.
What Can Help Beyond Breathing
If you’ve tried deep breathing and it’s not helping, there are other ways to manage anxiety that might work better:
Ground Yourself in the Moment
Anxiety can pull you into an endless loop of “what if” thinking. To interrupt this, focus on your senses. Try noticing five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. This can help bring you back to the present.
Acknowledge What You’re Feeling
Fighting anxiety often makes it worse. Instead, acknowledge it. Tell yourself, “I’m feeling anxious, and that’s okay.” It doesn’t make the feeling go away, but it removes some of the pressure to immediately fix it.
Move Your Body
Anxiety often comes with physical tension or restlessness. Moving—whether it’s a short walk, stretching, or even shaking out your hands—can help release that built-up energy.
Question Your Thoughts
Anxiety can make your thoughts feel like absolute truths. Take a step back and ask, “Is this really likely to happen? What evidence do I have for this?” Sometimes just questioning those thoughts can make them feel less overwhelming.
Practice Breathing as a Regular Tool
Instead of only trying deep breathing during an anxious moment, make it a regular practice. Doing this daily, even when you’re calm, can help your body respond better when anxiety does show up.
Putting It All Together
“Just breathe” sounds simple, but it often misses the complexity of what anxiety feels like. Breathing is one tool—it’s useful, but it’s not the whole solution. Managing anxiety means addressing the thoughts and emotions that fuel it, not just the physical symptoms.
Next time you feel anxious, don’t stop at taking a deep breath. Try grounding yourself, moving your body, or just giving yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling. Over time, you’ll figure out what works best for you.
What’s helped you manage anxiety in the past? Everyone’s different, and finding the right approach can take some experimenting. Whatever it is, keep going—you’re making progress.