Breathe Better, Hurt Less: Nasal and Diaphragmatic Breathing for Office Pain Relief

Sitting at a desk all day can leave you with a sore neck, tight shoulders, or an aching back. What you might not realise is that the way you breathe could be contributing to that discomfort. Many of us fall into poor breathing habits (like shallow “chest breathing” or mouth breathing) when we’re stressed or slouching at work. The good news is that by switching to nasal and diaphragmatic breathing – in other words, breathing through your nose and using your diaphragm (your main breathing muscle) – you can help alleviate muscle tension and even reduce everyday aches. This blog will explain how dysfunctional breathing affects your posture and muscles, and how proper breathing techniques can relieve pain and improve your well-being at the office.

Learning how to breathe correctly changed my life and I hope to do the same for others.

The Link Between Breathing and Musculoskeletal Pain

Breathing and posture are closely connected. If you tend to hunch over your keyboard or carry tension in your body, chances are you’re also breathing in a shallow, inefficient way. Dysfunctional breathing (such as rapid, shallow breaths using the chest and neck) forces your body to compensate by recruiting muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper back to help you inhale. Over time, this habit can overwork those muscles, contributing to stiffness and pain. In fact, studies have found that people with slumped posture or chronic neck and back pain often show “faulty” breathing patterns – they overuse their shoulder and neck muscles to breathe instead of the their diaphragm.

This pattern not only feeds into muscle tension (think trigger points and knots) but also reinforces poor posture (for example, constant mouth breathing can encourage a forward-head position - see the image below).

Why does chest breathing cause so much trouble? When you breathe from your chest instead of your belly, you limit the movement of your diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle under your ribs that should handle most of the work of breathing. If it’s not being used effectively, your body enlists smaller accessory muscles (like the scalenes in your neck and the upper trapezius in your shoulders) to help pull your ribcage up with each breath. These muscles aren’t built for continuous breathing work, so they become overworked and tight. Imagine shrugging your shoulders slightly with every inhale – after thousands of breaths a day, it’s no wonder your neck and shoulders feel knotted. Additionally, shallow chest breathing often goes hand-in-hand with stress, which keeps your body in a state of high alert and further tightens your muscles.

How Nasal and Diaphragmatic Breathing Can Help

Shifting to nasal and diaphragmatic breathing can undo these problems by restoring a natural, efficient breathing mechanism. Breathing through your nose has immediate benefits: the nose filters and humidifies the air, and it naturally encourages a slower, deeper intake of breath. When you breathe in calmly through your nose, air travels down to the lower portions of your lungs. This tends to engage your diaphragm, causing your belly to expand with each inhale. In diaphragmatic (“belly”) breathing, your abdomen and lower ribs move more than your chest. You take in more air with less effort, allowing for fuller oxygen exchange. Meanwhile, your neck and shoulder muscles get to relax because the diaphragm is doing its job. Over time, strengthening your diaphragm can improve core stability and posture – a strong diaphragm helps support your spine from the inside, reducing strain on your back and neck.

Equally important, proper breathing has a profound effect on your central nervous system. Slow, deep breaths through the nose signal your body to shift out of “fight or flight” mode. Each diaphragmatic breath stimulates the vagus nerve – a key nerve that tells your system to calm down – which reduces the dominance of the sympathetic nervous system.

In simple terms, belly breathing flips the switch to the parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode. Your heart rate may slow down and stress hormones drop. As your body enters this relaxed state, muscle tension melts away and blood circulation improves.

Studies even suggest that calming the nervous system in this way can decrease muscle tension and increase your tolerance for pain (which I've found in many of my patients).

By breathing correctly, you’re not only easing your stress – you’re also helping tight muscles loosen and giving your body a chance to recover and heal.

Simple Breathing Tips for the Office

You can start practicing healthier breathing right at your desk. Here are a few simple techniques and habits to try during your workday:

• Nose-Breathing Only: Whenever you catch yourself breathing through your mouth, gently close it and shift to nasal breathing. Inhale and exhale through your nose at a relaxed pace. Nose breathing naturally slows your breathing rhythm and helps you engage your diaphragm. Plus, it prevents the dry mouth and throat that many mouth-breathers get (especially during the night).

• “Belly Breath” Exercise: Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a slow breath in through your nose, and aim to inflate your abdomen (the hand on your belly should rise, while the hand on your chest stays relatively still). Then exhale slowly through your nose or through pursed lips, letting your belly hand fall. Repeat this for 5–10 breaths, focusing on the gentle rise and fall of your stomach. This exercise retrains your body to let the diaphragm drive your breathing.

• Paced Breathing Breaks: Try a simple breathing pattern to calm your nerves and reset your posture. For example, the 4-6 breathing technique: inhale through your nose for a count of 4, then exhale for a count of 6. Lengthening your exhale helps stimulate relaxation. Do this for a minute or two whenever you feel stressed or notice pain creeping in. You’ll likely feel your shoulders drop and notice less tension in your neck and back.

• Mindful Breathing Cues: Leave a sticky note on your computer or laptop simply saying "belly breathe" this will bring you back to your breath.

  
  

By incorporating these practices, you give your body a chance to reset. Over days and weeks, nasal and diaphragmatic breathing can become second nature. You’ll likely find you feel calmer and less tense. Many office workers I have coached, found the encouragement to take brief “breathing breaks” not only reduces their aches but also helps them refocus mentally, very powerful if you're like me and have ADHD. It’s a free, simple technique with a big payoff: more oxygen, less stress, better posture, and a happier musculoskeletal system.

In summary, how you breathe has a direct impact on your posture and muscle health. A few slow, deep breaths through your nose might be the easiest stretch or “medicine” you can give your body during the workday. Try it consistently, and you may breathe a sigh of relief as your posture and comfort gradually improve.

References Used:

1. Bradley, H., & Esformes, J. (2014). Breathing pattern disorders and functional movement. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 9(1), 28–39. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2. Ribeiro, D. C. et al. (2025). Effects of breathing exercises on neck pain management: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(3), 709. mdpi.commdpi.com