Paced Breathing for PTSD Triggers
A grounding, slow-paced breathing technique designed to interrupt the sympathetic nervous system's fight-or-flight response during a PTSD trigger. By extending the exhalation, it signals safety to the brain and helps restore emotional and physiological baseline.
- 1Find a safe, grounded position, either sitting with your feet flat on the floor or lying down.
- 2Inhale slowly and gently through your nose for 4 seconds, allowing your belly to expand outward.
- 3Hold the breath gently for 2 seconds to anchor your attention to the present moment.
- 4Exhale smoothly and completely through pursed lips for 6 seconds, imagining releasing physical tension with the air.
- 5Pause for 2 seconds before beginning the next breath.
- 6Repeat this cycle for 3 to 5 minutes, focusing entirely on the physical sensation of the air moving in and out.
Paced breathing with an extended exhalation stimulates the vagus nerve, increasing parasympathetic tone and reducing the heart rate via respiratory sinus arrhythmia. This physiological shift lowers circulating catecholamines (like adrenaline), dampening the amygdala's hyperactive threat response and allowing the prefrontal cortex to regain executive control, which is typically impaired during trauma recall.
Treats Symptoms
Target Metrics
Generally safe, but if focusing on internal bodily sensations (interoception) exacerbates dissociation or panic—a known phenomenon in some trauma survivors—discontinue immediately and utilize external grounding techniques (e.g., the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory method).
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