Breathing For Muscle Tightness

What Stress Does to Muscles

When you’re stressed, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode. Your breathing becomes shallow, your shoulders lift, and your neck, jaw, and back muscles tighten to protect you.

At my massage room in Saffron Walden, I am always really keen to help people breath better to help stop the tension. This is all about breathing for muscle tightness.

It’s great if you need to run from danger...but not so great if you’re sitting at a desk or lying in bed trying to relax.

Over time, that constant tension can leave you feeling stiff, sore, or like your muscles “never switch off.”

The thing is, it just makes sense....we are shallow breathing most of the time, stressed out and telling our nervous system we need to be in a fight or flight mode.

Change your breath...and change your tension. Breathing for muscle tightness will help stop the aches and pains you find yourself in.

The Breath–Muscle Connection

Your breathing is directly linked to your nervous system (remember this..)

When you breathe fast and shallow (like during stress), your body stays on alert.

When you breathe slow and deep, especially through the diaphragm, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, this is your body’s natural “rest and recover” mode.

That switch helps:

• Lower muscle tension

• Improve blood flow and oxygen to tissues

• Reduce feelings of tightness or pain

• Speed up recovery after workouts or massage

How to Use Breathing for Muscle Relief

Here are a few simple techniques that help your body let go of built-up tension:

1. Box Breathing (4–4–4–4)

Breathe in for 4 seconds → hold for 4 → out for 4 → hold for 4.Repeat for 1–2 minutes0

This resets your nervous system and helps muscles unclench.

2. Long Exhales

Breathe in for 4 seconds, out for 6–8 seconds. The long exhale signals safety to your body — perfect for calming tight traps or a tense jaw.

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Breathe so the belly moves, not the chest. This activates your diaphragm and encourages the deeper core muscles to relax.

4. Post-Massage or Stretch Breathing

After a recovery session, spend 1–2 minutes breathing slowly into areas that feel tight. Imagine your breath expanding into that muscle — this helps reinforce relaxation and improve circulation.

Why It Works So Well

Research shows that deep, controlled breathing can reduce muscle tone, lower cortisol, and even change how the brain perceives pain. It’s not just about relaxation — it’s a physiological reset that lets your body recover properly.

I recommend the app Breath, it's free and has a good timer on it for your breathing.

Book in with me and we can discuss your breathwork over a massage