If I say "hyperventilation," you probably imagine someone breathing into a paper bag, panicking.
But there's a quieter version that's insanely common:
- Slightly too many breaths
- Slightly too shallow
- All day long
You might look calm on the outside while your nervous system is quietly hyperventilating on the inside.
What Is Overbreathing?
Overbreathing isn't just "breathing really fast." It's any pattern where you:
- Take more breaths per minute than your body needs at rest
- Blow off more CO2 than is optimal
This can happen when:
- You're anxious and don't realize your breathing changed
- You're always "a little activated" (email, Slack, kids, news, etc.)
- You sit a lot, slouching and breathing shallowly through your mouth
Many adults at rest are breathing:
15–20+ breaths per minute
When a healthier range is often closer to 6–10 slower, fuller breaths
Why Overbreathing Is a Problem
Remember: you need CO2 to help oxygen be delivered efficiently to your tissues.
When you overbreathe:
- You expel too much CO2
- Blood vessels—especially in the brain—can constrict
- Less oxygen gets to critical areas
Laboratory studies show that when people blow off too much CO2:
- Their brains become hyperexcitable
- Background neural "noise" rises
- It becomes harder to:
- Filter out irrelevant information
- Focus
- Learn new material
You feel:
- Wired, but foggy
- Alert, but scattered
- Prone to anxiety and overreaction
Overbreathing and Anxiety: A Vicious Loop
Overbreathing and anxiety feed each other:
- You feel stressed → You start breathing faster and shallower
- You blow off CO2 → Brain becomes hyperexcitable
- You feel more jittery, edgy, and uncomfortable
- That increased unease makes you breathe even more
In extreme cases, deliberate CO2 exposure in the lab can induce panic attacks—even in people whose fear centers (amygdala) are damaged. That's how powerful CO2 dynamics are for emotion.
How to Tell If You're Overbreathing
You can run lab tests, but there are simpler indicators.
1. Resting Breath Count
As in the previous post:
- Sit quietly for 1 minute
- Breathe normally (don't "fix" it)
- Count your breaths
If you're consistently over 12 breaths per minute at rest, you're probably overbreathing.
2. Personality & Symptom Clues
Many chronic overbreathers report:
- Feeling "on edge" most of the day
- Being easily startled or overwhelmed
- Frequent sighing or chest breathing
- Tightness in chest, neck, or shoulders
- Trouble focusing on one thing without checking notifications
How to Start Fixing Overbreathing
Good news: your breathing system is highly trainable.
1. Use Nasal Breathing by Default
Whenever you're not:
- Exercising hard
- Eating
- Talking
Try to keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose.
Benefits:
- Slight resistance → encourages slower, fuller breaths
- Better lung inflation
- Supports nitric oxide production and healthier blood vessels
2. Add Tiny Pauses Between Breaths
Overbreathing often means no real pause between inhale and exhale.
A simple fix:
A few times per day, for 1–2 minutes:
- Inhale through your nose
- Exhale through your nose
- Add a tiny 1–2 second pause before the next inhale
Don't force a big breath hold—just a gentle gap. This alone can reduce your breathing rate and stabilize CO2.
3. Try 2–3 Minutes of Box Breathing
As described earlier:
Inhale → Hold → Exhale → Hold, all for the same count
You can use:
- 3 seconds if you're new or very stressed
- 4–5 seconds if you're comfortable
Do this once or twice a day:
- Before work
- After lunch
- Before bed
A Quick Self-Reset Protocol
When you catch yourself spiraling (doomscrolling, multitasking yourself into oblivion), try this:
- Stop typing / scrolling for 60 seconds
- Do 1–2 physiological sighs
- Follow with 1 minute of slower nasal breathing
- Inhale ~4 seconds
- Exhale ~6 seconds
You're giving your brain:
- A CO2 reset
- A lower heart rate
- A chance for the "noise" to settle so signals can stand out again
Long-Term Payoff
Reducing chronic overbreathing isn't about being "perfect" at breathing. It's about shifting your default over time.
You're aiming for a baseline where:
- Your breath at rest is slower, quieter, and more diaphragmatic
- Your brain isn't constantly bathed in hyperexcitable chaos
- Stress still shows up—but your physiology doesn't immediately redline every time
That's a big leverage point for focus, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
About the Author: John Doe writes about modern nervous systems living in a notification-obsessed world—and how simple breathing practices can help restore clarity and calm.
