Supporting Your Nervous System Through Breathwork
An introductory guide to simple breathwork practices for each nervous system state.
Breathwork is one of the most accessible and effective tools for supporting the nervous system. The way we breathe directly impacts how the nervous system responds to stress, energy, and connection. By tailoring breathwork practices to your current state — Regulation (ventral), Activation (sympathetic), Depletion (dorsal) or Overload (freeze) — you can align your body and mind with what it needs to move toward balance.
This guide introduces an elementary breathwork practice for each state to help release tension, restore calm and help you experience optimal wellbeing.
Why Breathwork Matters
Breathing is a bridge between the mind and body. While it happens automatically, how you breathe can signal safety, energy, or calm to the nervous system. Intentional breathwork offers a way to interrupt patterns of Dysregulation and guide the nervous system toward Regulation.
Each state benefits from a specific approach to breathwork. Choosing the right practice for where you are can help release what the body is holding and bring you closer to balance.
Breathwork Practices for Each Nervous System State
In Regulation (ventral): Maintaining Balance
When in Regulation, breathwork can help deepen a sense of calm and presence. A simple practice like rhythmic breathing can sustain this balanced state.
Try this: Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and pause for 4 (box breathing).
Impact: Reinforces feelings of safety, steadies the mind, and maintains a harmonious connection between body and breath.
In a state of Activation (sympathetic try): Releasing Energy
In Activation, the nervous system is heightened, and breathwork can help release built-up tension and restore a slower rhythm.
Try this: Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and pause for 4 (box breathing).
Impact: Reinforces feelings of safety, steadies the mind, and maintains a harmonious connection between body and breath.
In a state of Depletion (dorsal) try: Gently Restoring Energy
When in Depletion, the body feels disconnected or low-energy. Breathwork can help gently re-engage the nervous system and foster reconnection.
Try this:Belly breathing. Place one hand on your stomach and inhale deeply through the nose, feeling the belly expand. Exhale slowly through the mouth.
Impact:Encourages a fuller breath, provides gentle stimulation, and helps reconnect to the present moment without overwhelming the system.
In a state of Overload (freeze) try: Grounding and Reassuring
In Overload, grounding breathwork can create a sense of safety and help the body release immobilization.
Try this:5-5-7 breathing. Inhale for 5 counts, hold for 5, and exhale for 7 counts.
Impact:Helps anchor the body to the present moment, reassures the nervous system, and begins to release the freeze response.
The Power of Intentional Breathing
The beauty of breathwork lies in its simplicity. It requires no equipment or special space—just a willingness to pause and connect to the breath.
Pause and observe:How are you breathing right now?
Adjust and align:Match your breath to what feels soothing or supportive for your current state.
Trust the process:Even a few intentional breaths can shift the nervous system closer to balance.
Where to Start
Exploring breathwork doesn’t have to feel complicated. The statechanged Method Workbook provides step-by-step breathwork practices tailored to each state, along with guidance for recognizing your needs.
If you’re unsure where to begin, start with the free Nervous System Assessment Quiz on the homepage. This quick quiz identifies your current state and offers personalized suggestions to help you reconnect with your natural state of well-being.
For immediate support, explore our Digital Downloads, which include accessible breathwork exercises you can practice anytime.
The Path Back to Regulation
Breathwork is one of the most natural ways to influence the nervous system. By choosing a practice that aligns with your current state, it’s possible to release tension, restore calm, and reconnect to balance.
This process isn’t about perfection or doing it "right" — it’s about connection. Trust the signals your body is sending and let your breath be a source of grounding, release and renewal.
Take the time to honor where you are, explore the practices that feel supportive, and allow your breath to guide you back to your natural state — which is one of wellbeing.