How Breathwork Calms the Nervous System (Especially During the Holidays) (Copy)

If you feel constantly tense — shoulders tight, jaw clenched, breath shallow — you’re not alone.

Many people live in a low-grade state of tension without realizing it. Even during rest, the body doesn’t fully let go.

This isn’t because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because the nervous system has learned to stay on guard.

What “Constant Tension” Really Means

Tension is often the body’s way of preparing for something.

Deadlines.

Emotional pressure.

Unprocessed stress.

Years of pushing through.

Over time, the nervous system adapts by staying slightly activated. Muscles don’t fully release. Breathing stays shallow. Rest never feels complete.

This is what people mean when they say they “can’t relax.”

Why Relaxation Isn’t a Switch You Flip

You can’t force the body out of tension.

Relaxation happens when the nervous system feels safe enough to soften. That safety is communicated through the body — especially through the breath.

When breathing patterns stay short or held, the nervous system interprets this as ongoing threat.

Changing the breath gently changes that message.

How Breath Re-Trains the Nervous System

The nervous system learns through repetition.

Each time the body experiences slower, steadier breathing, it builds familiarity with regulation. Over time, this reduces baseline tension and shortens recovery after stress.

This is why breath-based practices are used for chronic tension, burnout, and overwhelm that doesn’t respond to rest alone.

A Place to Start When You Can’t Relax

If your body feels constantly tight, begin with something simple and repeatable.

At Holistic Breath Academy, we offer a free grounding breath practice designed to help the nervous system release tension safely and gradually.

Try the free grounding breath practice

You don’t need to relax all at once.

The body learns one breath at a time.