5 Reasons Why Breathwork Works So Well for ADHD
- Brainz Magazine
- Aug 19
- 5 min read
Written by Tundie Berczi, Well-being Consultant
Tundie is a Well-being Consultant, Neuroscience MSc student, and expert in breathwork, meditation, and therapeutic coaching. With a background in corporate well-being, neuroscience, and holistic healing, she helps individuals and organisations reduce stress and cultivate mental clarity through science-backed and transformational practices.
Most people imagine meditation as sitting still, closing their eyes, and trying to clear their thoughts. But for ADHD minds, that kind of stillness can feel more stressful than peaceful. The issue is not the person. It is the method.
ADHD brains are wired for movement, novelty, and stimulation. When you ask them to “just relax,” it often backfires, creating more restlessness, shame, or mental chaos. Breathwork offers a better way in. It is active, body-based, and built for real-world regulation. Here is why it works.
Alex’s experience
On a busy Wednesday, Alex sat at his desk trying to write an email. His leg bounced, his eyes kept jumping to new notifications, and his thoughts felt loud and messy. Sitting still made it worse. He stood up, walked to the corridor, and placed one hand on his chest. With his other hand, he traced a small square on the wall while he breathed, four in, hold four, four out, hold four. After two minutes, his shoulders dropped. His focus felt steadier. He went back to his desk and finished the email without the usual spiral.
1. ADHD is a nervous system issue, not just a focus issue
ADHD does not only affect attention. It influences how your entire system processes stress, emotion, and energy. Many people with ADHD swing between feeling overstimulated and completely flat. This pattern is known as nervous system dysregulation.
Breathwork helps you stabilise this swing. Certain breathing techniques calm high-alert states. Others gently energise and lift you out of shutdown. Either way, breath gives your body a role in calming your mind, without needing willpower.
2. Stillness can feel unsafe for ADHD brains
For many people with ADHD, sitting still feels like internal pressure. Their system craves movement. This is not resistance; it is biology.
In traditional meditation, you are told to “observe your thoughts.” But if your thoughts are already racing, this can feel overwhelming. Breathwork offers an anchor. It is not passive. It gives your brain something to do: counting, pacing, and feeling the breath. That engagement makes it safer to settle.
3. Breathwork gives sensory feedback that helps regulate
ADHD minds often need more than one sensory input to feel grounded. That is why fidgeting, tapping, or walking while thinking often helps, not because people are unfocused, but because they are self-regulating.
Breathwork adds another layer. It engages the senses through:
Rhythmic movement of the chest or belly
Feeling airflow through the nose or lips
Counting patterns or using tactile cues (like tracing a square or rubbing fingers)
These signals create a sensory rhythm the brain can follow, reducing chaos without demanding silence.
4. The breath directly affects brain chemistry
ADHD is linked to lower levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that fuels motivation, reward, and focus. Certain breath practices help shift that balance.
For example:
Energising breathing patterns (like short, rhythmic inhales) may increase dopamine and alertness
Slow, extended exhalations activate the vagus nerve, shifting the system from fight-or-flight into calm and clarity
Research also shows breathwork improves heart rate variability (HRV), a sign that your body is adapting well to stress. This kind of physical regulation helps ADHD minds feel more focused and emotionally stable.
5. Movement-based breathwork is more ADHD-friendly
Breathwork does not have to happen sitting cross-legged in silence. You can walk, stretch, lie on the floor, or sway gently while breathing. You can use music, touch, or even pacing as part of the practice.
Some examples:
Box breathing while tracing your hand or a square object
Physiological sighs while walking (2 short inhales, 1 long exhale)
4-part energising breath (3 short inhales through the nose, 1 long exhale)
Tactile grounding (rubbing fabric or a small stone while breathing slowly)
These are not distractions. They are tools. And they meet the ADHD nervous system where it actually is, not where it is “supposed to be.”
You do not have to sit still to heal
Stillness can be a destination, not the starting point. If you have felt anxious, agitated, or “bad at meditating,” there is nothing wrong with you. Your body might just need a different route in.
Breathwork works because it starts with the body, not the mind. And when your body feels safe, your mind can finally rest.
Want to try ADHD-aware breathwork?
I offer:
1-to-1 sessions tailored for ADHD, anxiety, and emotional regulation
Breathwork that works with your body, not against it
Tools that are simple, science-based, and effective, even in 2 minutes
And what happened with Alex?
In the corridor, movement plus breath gave Alex the sensory input his ADHD nervous system needed. Tracing the square and counting kept his mind engaged. The steady rhythm of box breathing signalled safety through his vagus nerve, so his body moved out of high alert and into focus. With short rounds during the day, he found he did not have to force stillness; he arrived at it.
If you would like breathwork and meditation practice for ADHD, you can find my details by searching for @tundieberczi on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Read more from Tundie Berczi
Tundie Berczi, Well-being Consultant
Tundie is a Well-being Consultant specialising in stress management, resilience, and workplace wellness. With over a decade in the corporate world, she understands the demands of high-performance environments and integrates neuroscience, breathwork, and holistic therapies to create effective well-being solutions. She delivers corporate workshops, individual coaching, and breathwork meditation programs designed to help people gain clarity, balance, and focus. As a Cognitive Neuroscience student and certified Pranayama Breathwork and Meditation Teacher, Therapist, and Coach, she merges science with holistic practices to facilitate deep, lasting transformation.
References:
Bellato, A., Arora, I., Hollis, C., & Groom, M. J. (2020). Is autonomic nervous system function atypical in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A systematic review of the evidence. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 108, 182–206.
Isaac, V., Jones, C., & Del Campo, N. (2024). Arousal dysregulation and executive dysfunction in ADHD: Evidence and clinical implications. Psychiatry Research, 334, 115128.
Puts, N. A. J., et al. (2017). Altered tactile sensitivity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Neurophysiology, 117(3), 1169–1177.
Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., et al. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12:353.
Sarver, D. E., et al. (2015). Hyperactivity in ADHD may facilitate working memory performance. Child Neuropsychology, 21(4), 481–506.
