3 Breathwork Practices to Instantly Calm Your Nervous System During a Breakup
There’s something about going through a breakup that makes you feel completely dysregulated.
The spiralling, the need to be glued to your phone…and checking on your ex just to make sure they haven’t moved on without you.
it’s time to bring some calm into this breakup.
I’ve got you covered here. I’m a conscious breakup coach and certified breathwork teacher (and certified yoga teacher too) and I want nothing more than for you to feel that feeling every woman craves: Waking up and feeling calm, refreshed, and drinking your coffee or tea with a sense of contentment that all is well in the world.
Today, I’m sharing 3 different breathwork practices you can do to feel calmer, lighter, and a lot more present.
I’ll walk you through how each stress response might show up during a breakup—and the kind of breathwork that helps bring you back to balance and presence.
Are you in fight?
You might feel angry, reactive, or desperate to “fix” things.
You may catch yourself overexplaining, sending long texts, scrolling hard, or mentally arguing with them in your head.
Your energy feels hot, charged, and restless.
You’re maybe holding your breath, or your breath is shallow.
The breathwork for you: Grounding breathwork.
4 counts in through the nose.
8 count out through the mouth.
Repeat for just 1-2 minutes.
Or are you in Flight?
You might feel the urge to escape—scrolling, shopping, staying constantly busy, or avoiding your emotions. Always in touch with your friends to avoid being alone.
You may feel anxious, restless, or unable to sit still.
You might feel jittery, feel tightness all around, or on edge.
Breathwork for you: box breathing 4-4-4-4 (through the nose only)
Nasal breathing naturally slows airflow and activates the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) branch of your nervous system.
How to do it: breathe in through your nose for 4, hold for 4, breathe out through your nose for 4, hold for 4.
Repeat 1-2 minutes. Sit in stillness for another 30-60 seconds before continuing your day.
Or Freeze?
You feel numb, shut down, or detached, like your emotions are too heavy to process. Feeling so much at once, but not able to feel anything fully.
You might be zoning out, feel foggy when you’re walking around, can’t think straight at all, over-sleeping, or feeling like you’re underwater.
Breathwork for you: Pair breathing with a presence exercise. Breathe in for 4 through the nose, and breathe out for 4 through the mouth. As you do this, really feel your body and where it is in space. Feel what you’re lying/sitting on, look around you. Look at the color, texture. Listen to what’s around you. Observe what is outside of your body.
This will help you get into the present with the balancing breathwork on even breaths.
Do this for 1-2 minutes.
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I created a 21-day heartbreak meditation journey to help you finally calm your mind and reconnect with your body after a breakup. Each day blends gentle breathwork, mindfulness, and emotional healing so you can stop spiraling and start feeling safe again. It’s the peaceful reset your heart has been craving. See the full details here.
Hi, I’m Nancy!
A conscious breakup coach, certified breathwork teacher, wife, mom and I have helped a lot of people heal after their relationships end. Grab my Heartbreak Haven bundle to start healing your nervous system today.