Can Breathwork and Acupuncture Help With Anxiety?

Editorially reviewed by: A to Zen Therapies Editorial Team in accordance with our Editorial Policy.

Anxiety can affect thoughts, sleep, concentration, digestion, breathing and muscular tension. Evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, guided self-help and prescribed medication remain the principal options for an anxiety disorder.

Some people also use breathing exercises or acupuncture to support relaxation. Slow, comfortable breathing may help settle short-term physical arousal, while acupuncture may provide a relaxing experience for some individuals. However, neither should be described as a guaranteed treatment or a way of resolving anxiety’s underlying causes.

This guide examines what breathwork and acupuncture may realistically offer, their limitations and how to use them safely alongside appropriate mental-health care.

Breathing exercises and acupuncture may support relaxation, but they should complement rather than replace evidence-based anxiety treatment.

Quick Answer

Gentle, slow breathing may temporarily reduce some physical symptoms of stress or anxiety. Limited research also suggests that acupuncture may help reduce anxiety symptoms for some people, although the overall quality of the evidence remains low.

There is not yet good evidence that combining acupuncture and breathwork produces greater clinical benefits than either approach alone. They are best treated as complementary wellbeing practices rather than replacements for CBT, medication or mental-health assessment.

⭐ What Are Breathwork and Acupuncture?

Breathwork is a broad term for deliberately changing the pace, depth or pattern of breathing. Acupuncture is a complementary therapy in which fine needles are inserted at selected points on the body. Both may be used to encourage relaxation, but their techniques, evidence and safety considerations differ.

Key Takeaways

• Anxiety is more than an overactive fight-or-flight response.

• Slow, comfortable breathing may help reduce short-term physical arousal.

• Breathing should not be forced or continued if it causes dizziness, tingling or distress.

• Rapid, intensive breathwork can produce sensations resembling panic.

• Breath-holding techniques are not appropriate for everyone.

• Acupuncture studies have reported some positive outcomes, but the evidence remains limited.

• Specific acupuncture points cannot be claimed to treat anxiety, palpitations or chest pain.

• There is no strong evidence that combining breathwork and acupuncture amplifies their effects.

• A breathwork facilitator certificate is not the same as a regulated mental-health qualification.

• Persistent or disabling anxiety requires appropriate professional support.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding Anxiety and Physical Arousal

2. What Does the Evidence Say About Breathwork?

3. A Gentle Breathing Exercise to Try

4. Are All Breathwork Methods Safe?

5. What Does the Evidence Say About Acupuncture?

6. Acupuncture and Acupressure Points

7. Can Acupuncture and Breathwork Be Combined?

8. When Professional Anxiety Treatment Is Needed

9. How A to Zen Therapies Can Help

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Anxiety and Physical Arousal

Anxiety is a normal human response to danger, uncertainty or pressure. It becomes more concerning when worry or fear is persistent, difficult to control, disproportionate to the situation or disruptive to everyday life.

The World Health Organization estimates that 359 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in 2021. Possible symptoms include:

• Persistent fear or worry

• Restlessness and irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Muscle tension

• Sleep disruption

• Nausea or abdominal discomfort

• Palpitations

• Sweating or trembling

• Avoidance of feared situations

Anxiety may activate physical stress responses, including faster breathing and an increased heart rate. However, an anxiety disorder cannot be reduced to “being stuck in fight or flight”.

Genetics, temperament, trauma, physical health, learned avoidance and current social circumstances may all contribute.

Our guide to managing anxiety with complementary support provides further background. Complementary treatments should still be discussed with appropriate healthcare professionals.

What Does the Evidence Say About Breathwork?

Breathing exercises involve deliberately adjusting the rhythm or depth of breathing. Slow breathing may help focus attention and reduce some physical signs of stress.

A 2023 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found small-to-moderate improvements in self-reported stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, the researchers urged caution because studies differed considerably in quality, size, technique and duration.

Breathing exercises therefore appear potentially useful as a low-cost self-management tool, but they are not established as a standalone treatment for every anxiety disorder.

Potential benefits may include:

• Creating a pause during stressful situations

• Reducing excessively fast breathing

• Focusing attention on a predictable rhythm

• Relaxing tension around the shoulders or chest

• Supporting a regular wind-down routine

Breathwork should not be said to remove emotional blocks, uncover repressed memories or increase oxygen flow throughout the body. In a healthy person at rest, oxygen saturation is usually already well regulated. Breathing too rapidly or deeply can instead lower carbon-dioxide levels and cause dizziness, tingling, light-headedness or feelings of unreality.

📊 Evidence Snapshot

Research suggests that structured breathing practices may modestly reduce self-reported anxiety and stress. The evidence is more convincing for gentle, repeated practice than for dramatic emotional-release claims. Large, well-controlled studies comparing specific techniques are still needed.

A Gentle Breathing Exercise to Try

The NHS breathing exercise for stress emphasises breathing gently and comfortably without forcing the breath.

Try the following:

1. Sit or lie in a supported position.

2. Relax your shoulders and jaw.

3. Allow the breath to move towards your abdomen as far as feels comfortable.

4. Breathe in gently through your nose.

5. Breathe out slowly through your mouth.

6. Count from one to four or five during each phase if that feels natural.

7. Continue for several minutes without trying to take unusually large breaths.

The aim is a quieter, more regular breathing pattern—not the deepest possible breath.

💡 Expert Tip: If counting makes you tense, stop counting. A simple instruction such as “gentle breath in, slightly slower breath out” may be easier than trying to reach a prescribed number.

Effective breathing practice should feel comfortable and controlled rather than forceful, rapid or competitive.

What about box breathing?

Box breathing uses equal periods of inhaling, holding, exhaling and holding again. Some people find its predictable rhythm grounding. Others find breath-holding uncomfortable, particularly during panic or breathlessness.

A gentler alternative is to omit the holds:

• Breathe in for four counts.

• Breathe out for four to six counts.

• Repeat without straining.

What about 4-7-8 breathing?

The long breath hold in 4-7-8 breathing may not suit beginners or people who become anxious when they feel short of breath. The numbers are not medically essential. Shorten the counts or use ordinary slow breathing if necessary.

What about alternate-nostril breathing?

Alternate-nostril breathing is used in some yoga traditions. It may provide a point of focus, but claims that it “balances the brain”, energy channels or nervous system should not be presented as established physiology.

Do not obstruct nasal breathing if you have significant congestion, recent nasal surgery or difficulty breathing normally.

Are All Breathwork Methods Safe?

No. The term “breathwork” includes both gentle breathing exercises and intensive practices involving rapid breathing, prolonged breath-holding, music or attempts to induce altered states.

Holotropic and intensive breathwork

Holotropic-style breathwork typically involves sustained, faster breathing in a facilitated environment. It may produce strong physical or emotional experiences, but it should not be

promoted as a proven treatment for trauma or repressed memories.

Rapid breathing can cause hyperventilation. Cambridge University Hospitals explains that hyperventilation involves breathing faster or more deeply than the body requires. Possible symptoms include:

• Dizziness or light-headedness

• Tingling around the mouth, hands or feet

• Chest discomfort

• Muscle spasms

• A racing heartbeat

• Feelings of unreality

• Increased fear or panic

Stop the exercise and return to ordinary breathing if these occur.

Obtain medical advice before intensive breathwork if you have a cardiovascular or respiratory condition, epilepsy, uncontrolled blood pressure, a history of fainting, glaucoma, recent surgery or another relevant medical condition. Pregnancy also requires individual advice.

People with trauma, dissociation, panic disorder or psychosis should seek appropriately qualified clinical guidance rather than assuming that an emotionally intense session is therapeutic.

Training and facilitator qualifications

People wishing to study breathwork may encounter a Breathwork Facilitator Certification course. Before enrolling or choosing a facilitator, review the course’s safety training, contraindications, supervision and complaints process.

A breathwork certificate does not make someone a psychologist, psychotherapist, doctor or trauma specialist. Facilitators should work within their competence and refer clients when clinical assessment is needed.

What Does the Evidence Say About Acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves inserting fine, sterile needles at selected points. Traditional Chinese medicine describes these points through concepts such as qi and meridians. These are traditional explanatory models and should not be presented as scientifically established anatomical systems.

Research into acupuncture for anxiety has produced mixed results. The US National Center

for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that some studies have found positive outcomes, but many are methodologically weak, statistically insignificant or too varied to support firm conclusions.

This means it is reasonable to say:

• Some people report feeling relaxed during or after acupuncture.

• Limited studies suggest possible improvements in anxiety scores.

• More rigorous research is required.

• Acupuncture is not included as a principal first-line treatment in current NICE anxiety guidance.

It is not appropriate to claim that acupuncture:

• Cures an anxiety disorder

• Corrects the root cause of anxiety

• Reliably lowers particular stress hormones

• Produces predictable neurotransmitter changes

• Removes energy blockages as a proven physiological effect

• Works better than CBT or prescribed medication

Acupuncture safety

Acupuncture is generally considered low risk when performed by a suitably trained practitioner using sterile, single-use needles. Possible effects include minor bleeding, bruising, temporary soreness, dizziness or faintness.

Rare but serious complications can include infection or injury from incorrect needle placement. Tell the practitioner about:

• Pregnancy

• Bleeding disorders

• Blood-thinning medication

• A pacemaker or other implanted device

• Previous fainting during needles or medical procedures

• Current physical or mental-health treatment

Medication should never be stopped because an acupuncture session feels helpful.

Acupuncture and Acupressure Points

Traditional acupuncture practice may include points known as Shen Men, Yin Tang and

Pericardium 6. Their use is based partly on traditional theory and practitioner assessment.

Shen Men

Shen Men is an auricular point located in the ear. It is commonly included in protocols intended to encourage relaxation. Evidence does not establish that stimulating this point treats anxiety or insomnia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F262_HBjZIk&ab_channel=EarSeeds.com

Yin Tang

Yin Tang is located between the eyebrows. Some people find gentle pressure in this area soothing, but claims that it directly regulates the HPA axis or produces a specific neurological effect are not established.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psqK1JgQD1g&ab_channel=HughHayward

Pericardium 6

Pericardium 6 is located on the inner forearm. It has been studied more extensively in relation to nausea than anxiety. It should not be presented as a treatment for unexplained palpitations, chest tightness or heart problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3CsKU0B-zY&ab_channel=LIFE%2BLEMONSHEALTH

Chest pain, new palpitations, fainting or significant breathing difficulty require appropriate medical assessment. Do not assume that these symptoms are caused by anxiety.

Self-acupressure can be used as a brief relaxation ritual if it feels comfortable, but it should not replace diagnosis or treatment.

Can Acupuncture and Breathwork Be Combined?

A person may choose to practise gentle breathing before or during an acupuncture appointment. This may help them settle, communicate their needs and remain comfortable.

A simple approach could involve:

1. Discussing anxiety symptoms and current treatment with the practitioner.

2. Beginning with two or three minutes of ordinary slow breathing.

3. Continuing only if breathing feels comfortable.

4. Avoiding rapid breathing or prolonged breath holds while needles are inserted.

5. Stopping immediately if dizziness, nausea, panic or faintness develops.

6. Reviewing how you felt after the session rather than assuming that more intensity is better.

There is currently no strong clinical evidence that combining breathwork with acupuncture amplifies their benefits or treats anxiety’s root causes. Any perceived benefit may reflect relaxation, focused attention, therapeutic interaction, expectation or several factors acting together.

That does not make the experience meaningless. It simply means the claims should remain proportionate to the evidence.

When Professional Anxiety Treatment Is Needed

Breathing exercises and acupuncture should not become reasons to delay appropriate mental-health care.

Consider speaking to a GP or qualified mental-health professional if anxiety:

• Persists for several weeks

• Feels difficult to control

• Disrupts work, education, sleep or relationships

• Causes repeated panic attacks

• Leads to increasing avoidance

• Occurs alongside depression or substance use

• Began after a medication change

• Is accompanied by new or unexplained physical symptoms

The NICE guideline for generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder recommends a stepped-care approach. Depending on severity and preference, treatment may include education, guided self-help, CBT or medication.

Breathing exercises can support these treatments, but they do not replace the work of addressing avoidance, unhelpful beliefs, trauma, unsafe circumstances or other factors maintaining anxiety.

If you feel unable to keep yourself safe or are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, seek urgent professional support through the NHS urgent mental-health guidance or emergency services.

How A to Zen Therapies Can Help

At A to Zen Therapies, acupuncture in London may be considered as complementary support for relaxation and general wellbeing.

An appointment begins with a consultation covering symptoms, medical history, medication and current treatment. You can tell the practitioner if you are nervous about needles, prone to fainting or would prefer to begin with a short, gentle breathing exercise.

Our practitioners do not diagnose or provide primary treatment for anxiety disorders. Acupuncture should complement rather than replace care from a GP, psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

People whose anxiety is accompanied by general muscular tension may alternatively consider a relaxing massage. Massage may support short-term relaxation, but it is not a treatment for an anxiety disorder.

Book An Appoitment

Continue Exploring Anxiety and Complementary Care

Explore our Mental Wellbeing Hub, Acupuncture Hub and Massage Therapy Hub for evidence-informed information about anxiety, relaxation and complementary therapies.

You can also read our seven practical mental-health tips for everyday wellbeing support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can breathing exercises stop a panic attack?

Slow breathing may reduce symptoms associated with overbreathing, but it does not guarantee that a panic attack will stop immediately. Seek assessment for repeated or unexpected attacks.

Can deep breathing make anxiety worse?

Yes. Breathing too quickly or deeply may cause hyperventilation, dizziness, tingling or feelings of unreality. Use gentle breathing and stop if symptoms worsen.

Is holding my breath necessary?

No. Breath holds are optional and may feel uncomfortable for people with panic, breathlessness or certain health conditions. Slow breathing without holds can still be practised.

Does acupuncture cure anxiety?

No. Limited evidence suggests possible symptom improvement for some people, but current research does not establish acupuncture as a cure or first-line anxiety treatment.

Which acupuncture point is best for anxiety?

No single point has been proven to treat anxiety. Point selection within acupuncture is individual, while self-acupressure should be viewed as a relaxation practice rather than medical treatment.

Is acupuncture safe while taking anxiety medication?

Acupuncture may be possible alongside medication, but disclose all medicines and health conditions to the practitioner. Do not change prescribed treatment without consulting the prescriber.

Is holotropic breathwork safe for anxiety?

Intensive breathwork can cause hyperventilation and strong physical or emotional reactions. It may be unsuitable for some people and should not be used as a substitute for trauma therapy or mental-health treatment.

Can I combine breathing exercises with acupuncture?

Gentle breathing may be used before or during acupuncture if it feels comfortable. There is no strong evidence that the combination is more effective than either practice alone.

When should anxiety symptoms be medically assessed?

Seek assessment when symptoms persist, affect daily life, cause repeated panic attacks or include unexplained chest pain, palpitations, fainting or breathing difficulty.

References

• World Health Organization — Anxiety Disorders

• NHS — Breathing Exercises for Stress

• NICE — Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder in Adults

• NHS — Panic Disorder

• NCCIH — Anxiety and Complementary Health Approaches

• NCCIH — Acupuncture Effectiveness and Safety

• Cambridge University Hospitals — Breathing Exercises and Hyperventilation

• Scientific Reports — Effect of Breathwork on Stress and Mental Health