Why Do Breathing Exercises Make Me More Anxious?

Other ways to feel more grounded

Dr. Katherine Jewett, PsyD, LMFT | California LMFT 100342

Someone says, “Take a deep breath.” You try. Then you notice how tight your chest feels, start wondering whether you are getting enough air, or become so focused on breathing correctly that you feel more anxious than you did before.

Now you have the original anxiety and the frustration of wondering why something that is supposed to help feels so difficult.

Breathing exercises can increase anxiety for some people. Relaxation techniques occasionally bring up uncomfortable thoughts, a fear of losing control, or more awareness of physical sensations. The useful question is what happens for you when you try them. ¹

If we were talking about this together, I would want to understand the sequence. Do you feel dizzy after taking several large breaths? Do you begin checking every breath? Does slowing down leave you feeling exposed or uneasy? Those details help us choose a more useful next step.

Why a breathing exercise might make you feel worse

You may be taking in more air than you need

“Deep” can sound like an instruction to fill your lungs as much as possible. Repeatedly breathing too deeply or rapidly can lower carbon dioxide in your blood and contribute to dizziness, tingling, and a feeling that you cannot get a satisfying breath. This is called overbreathing or hyperventilation. ²

Those sensations can be frightening, especially when you were trying to feel better. Taking an even bigger breath may not help. Comfortable breathing matters more than reaching a particular depth or count; NHS guidance specifically recommends gentle breathing without forcing it. ³

These symptoms can also have medical causes. We cannot tell from a blog post that anxiety or overbreathing is the explanation.

Paying attention to your breath may turn into checking it

You might begin with “I’ll notice my breathing” and end up asking, “Was that breath deep enough? Why does this one feel different? Am I about to panic?”

For some people, fear of physical sensations becomes part of the anxiety cycle. A sensation is noticed, interpreted as a sign of danger, and followed by more fear. That pattern is relevant in panic disorder, although discomfort during a breathing exercise does not establish a diagnosis. ⁴

If this sounds familiar, I would be interested in both the sensation and what you think it means. Working harder to control each breath may leave that fear unaddressed.

Beginning to relax may feel unsettling

Sometimes the difficult part is letting your guard down. You may notice a thought such as, “If I stop worrying, I won’t be prepared.”

Researchers use the term relaxation-induced anxiety when anxiety rises during an attempt to relax. One study of 96 university students, including groups with generalized anxiety or depression, linked this response with discomfort about a sudden shift from feeling relatively okay to feeling worse. The study used breathing and muscle relaxation together, so it does not isolate breathing as the cause. ⁵

That offers one possible explanation, not a conclusion about you. Your history may matter, and so may current stress or a sense of needing to stay in control. Feeling uncomfortable with relaxation does not, by itself, tell us that you have trauma or any particular disorder.

You may be putting pressure on yourself to feel better

Notice what you are asking the exercise to accomplish. Is it giving you a moment to pause, or has it become a test you have to pass before you can go on with your day?

Thoughts such as “I should be calm by now” can become another demand. I would want us to make room for the anxiety and frustration you are already experiencing, without requiring you to produce a particular feeling on schedule.

What to try when focusing on your breath is not helping

You can pause a self-help recording or stop following its breathing count. You do not need to keep forcing the exercise to make it count as practice.

Grounding means bringing some attention to what is happening around you now. It may be useful when attention to internal sensations feels overwhelming. It is an option to try, and your response matters; grounding can also be unhelpful for some people. ⁶

Give your attention something outside your body

Keep your eyes open if that is more comfortable. Look at one ordinary object and describe a few details: the blue fabric of a chair, its wooden legs, or where it sits beside a window. If looking around is not useful or accessible, listen for a nearby sound or notice the texture of something you are holding. Choose one sense rather than completing a long checklist. ⁶

Change what you are doing

If sitting still feels like another demand, you might change position, stretch your hands, or take a few unhurried steps if that is comfortable and safe for you. If you feel dizzy, stay seated rather than walking around.

You could also return to a small, ordinary activity: folding a towel or putting a cup away. Treat this as an experiment in finding a manageable next action. It does not have to remove every anxious feeling.

Ask for the kind of company that helps

If someone keeps reminding you to breathe and that adds pressure, you can be specific about what you need:

“Focusing on my breathing is making me more anxious. Could you sit with me for a few minutes and talk about something ordinary?”

Or: “I’m having a hard time settling. I would appreciate some company while I decide what I need.”

You do not have to explain your whole history to make a clear request.

Notice whether it helps without turning it into another test

After trying one option briefly, ask whether you feel a little more able to notice your surroundings or choose what to do next. You may still feel anxious. If an exercise leaves you increasingly distressed, frustrated, or less connected to what is around you, stop and reconsider it. ⁶

Try to avoid checking your breathing or anxiety level every few seconds. A useful question is, “Can I take the next small step?” That step might be returning to what you were doing, asking for support, or arranging an appointment.

Does this mean you should avoid breathing exercises

An uncomfortable experience does not automatically mean every breathing exercise will be unhelpful. If you want to revisit one, you can discuss an adjustment with your therapist or healthcare provider. Gentle breathing without forcing a large inhale may be more appropriate than a rigid count. My breathing guide offers a starting point you can adapt. ³

There is also a difference between pausing a self-help exercise and deciding that body sensations must always be avoided. When fear of sensations is maintaining panic, cognitive behavioral therapy may include planned, supported practice with those sensations, called interoceptive exposure. That work has a different purpose from a relaxation recording. ⁴

If you are already doing that work in therapy, bring your reaction to your therapist so you can decide together how to proceed.

When to get more support

New, unexplained, or worsening breathing difficulty deserves medical assessment. Severe trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting calls for urgent medical attention. Do not assume these symptoms are anxiety because they appeared during a breathing exercise. ²

If anxiety keeps disrupting your day, you are increasingly afraid of body sensations, or you are avoiding activities because of that fear, professional support can help you understand the pattern and choose treatment. ⁴

I offer therapy for anxiety in Pleasant Hill and online throughout California. We can look at what happens before, during, and after these moments, what you have already tried, and what you need help with. You can schedule a free 30-minute consultation to ask questions about working together.

You can tell me that an exercise feels wrong for you. That is useful information for deciding what we do next.

Dr. Katherine Jewett, PsyD, LMFT

California LMFT 100342

This article provides general education and does not replace an individual medical or mental health assessment.