Diaphragmatic Breathing: Taming Invisible Tigers

Beverly Ward
Nov 12, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Jun 28

Have you ever noticed how your body forgets to breathe when your heart forgets how to rest?

When fear creeps in unannounced—your chest tightens, your heart races, and suddenly it feels like the room is shrinking. Panic doesn’t always show up as screaming chaos. Sometimes, it whispers through a pounding pulse, a shallow breath, or a knot in your stomach that just won’t untie.

But what if I told you that the way you breathe could be the key to calming the storm?

Let’s talk about Diaphragmatic Breathing—also called belly breathing. It’s not a trendy wellness hack or a complicated ritual. It’s a quiet return to something God built into you from the very beginning.

The Science: When Breathing Becomes a Rescue

Our breath is powerful. It's the first thing we do when we enter the world—and the one thing we can’t go more than a few moments without. In fact, the average person can hold their breath for about a minute, and the world record is 24 minutes. Breath sustains us... and, when used intentionally, it can also regulate and restore us.

When anxiety strikes, your sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” mechanism) kicks in. Your body thinks you’re in danger—even if the danger is just a looming deadline or a hard conversation. Your heart races. Your breath gets short and fast. Your thoughts scatter like frightened birds.

But here’s the good news: God also designed your body with a built-in calming system—the parasympathetic nervous system, and its “rest and digest” response. It’s your body’s natural way of saying, It’s okay. You’re safe now.

And one of the most powerful ways to activate this system is through diaphragmatic breathing.

What Is Diaphragmatic Breathing?

It’s the way babies breathe. Watch a sleeping infant and you’ll see it—little bellies rising and falling gently with each breath. It’s full, deep, and slow. But somewhere along the way, many of us shift to shallow chest breathing, especially in times of stress.

Diaphragmatic breathing is about returning to that natural rhythm. When you breathe deeply into your belly, you invite calm into your nervous system. It tells your brain, There’s no emergency here. You’re safe. You can let go.

It’s especially helpful when panic symptoms show up:

Racing heart
Tight chest
Shaking or trembling
Nausea
Light-headedness
A surreal, detached feeling
A looming sense of dread

When these sensations flood in, breathing deeply and intentionally is like flipping a switch—from chaos to calm, from panic to presence.

The Practice: How to Breathe When You Forget How

Here’s how to start:

Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Breathe in slowly through your nose. Let your belly expand like a balloon. Your chest should remain mostly still.
Exhale slowly through your mouth. Imagine letting the tension drain from your body with each breath out.
Repeat this cycle for a few minutes, especially when you feel overwhelmed.

You can find a helpful demonstration in the video in the Lagniappe section below. And just like anything worthwhile, it becomes more effective with regular practice.

From Scripture: God’s Breath, Our Peace

The Bible has a lot to say about breath.

In the beginning, God breathed life into Adam (Genesis 2:7).
Scripture itself is called “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, He breathed on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

Throughout Scripture, breath is sacred. It symbolizes life, power, and God’s intimate nearness. And though our breath is merely human, it still carries divine design.

Breathing deeply is not just a coping skill—it’s an invitation. A moment to be still and remember that you are held. That you are not alone. That God is as close as your next breath.

An Action Plan:

Watch the first video: Taming Invisible Tigers (linked below). It walks you through how to practice diaphragmatic breathing correctly.
Watch the second video: It highlights even more long-term benefits of this simple, powerful practice.
Try it daily. Even if you’re not feeling anxious, regular breathing practice can support your overall emotional and physical health.

Even when your thoughts run wild and invisible tigers threaten to steal your peace, your breath can anchor you.

And when you choose to slow down, breathe deep, and invite God into that moment—you’re not just calming your body.You’re responding to the One who first breathed life into you.