When Stanford and Harvard-trained anesthesiologist and integrative medicine specialist Dr Anthony Kaveh began encouraging his patients to use breathing techniques to manage anxiety, he didn’t expect the pushback.
“Far too many of my patients feel that I’m gaslighting them when I encourage them to use their breathing to reduce anxiety,” Dr Kaveh said in a recent video, where he connected himself to life support monitors in an operating room to demonstrate the impact of breathwork on his own body.
“Breathing is not gaslighting,” he says. “I’m not anti-medication or anti-therapy. I’m a big advocate for ketamine therapy and other modalities. But I always want to emphasise your inner healing capacity to help naturally reduce anxiety—without relying solely on external medications or their side effects.”
To prove his point, Dr Kaveh attached himself to EKG monitors and a pulse oximeter to track his heart rate and oxygen levels in real-time. He demonstrated two breathing techniques—cyclic breathing and the 4-7-8 method—and the effect they had on his nervous system.
What is cyclic breathing?
In cyclic breathing, one inhales through the nose, adds an extra sniff of air at the top of the breath, then exhales slowly through the mouth for about 10 seconds.
“Listen to the change in my heart rate,” Kaveh said as he practiced the technique. “Notice how the space between heartbeats increases and decreases with each breath.”
What is the 4-7-8 breathing method?
Next, he tried the 4-7-8 technique: inhaling for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7, and exhaling for 8.
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“One of my teachers, Dr Andrew Weil, emphasised placing the tongue just behind the front teeth, pressing against the roof of the mouth. This slows the exhale and enhances the calming effect,” Kaveh explained. “These breathing techniques aren’t a one-time fix. I repeat them multiple times in a session and throughout the day.”
His takeaway? You can hear and feel the shift in the body almost immediately—but lasting change comes from consistency.
What psychology says about breathwork
According to counselling psychologist Srishti Vatsa, the science behind this is rooted in how the breath communicates with the nervous system.
“Breathwork helps the body feel safe again,” she explains. “By slowing the heart rate, it softens the stress response. The long exhale in cyclic breathing helps release built-up tension, while the 4-7-8 pattern gives the mind rhythm, which helps ease racing thoughts.”
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“These techniques calm the nervous system by working with the breath, not against it,” she continues. “Over time, your body starts to learn that it can shift out of anxiety. You don’t have to do them perfectly. You have to keep coming back to them. It’s like training the nervous system to pause before it panics.”
While breathwork might sound trendy in the West, its roots in India go back centuries through the practice of pranayama and yogic traditions.
“In India, these ideas aren’t new,” Vatsa says. “Breath has always been part of healing through yoga.”
That said, both Kaveh and Vatsa agree—breathing is a tool, not a cure-all.
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“While breathwork can be powerful, it’s okay to seek more support if it feels overwhelming,” Vatsa adds. “Some people feel discomfort when they slow down. That’s also part of the process. Be gentle with yourself and let the body guide you.”
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
