How to relieve chest tightness from anxiety: 8 things that help

When anxiety builds, your chest can feel squeezed, heavy or locked, as if you can’t take a full breath. It’s uncomfortable and frightening, and the fear can make it tighter.

The good news is that once you know it’s anxiety, there’s a lot you can do to loosen it. Here’s why it happens and what helps.

Check first. If this is the first time, or the tightness came on suddenly, feels different from usual, or comes with pain spreading to your arm, neck, jaw or back, breathlessness, sweating or nausea, call 911 (or your local emergency number). Our post on why your chest might feel tight covers other causes.

Can anxiety cause chest tightness?

Yes. Chest tightness is one of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety and panic. It happens because:

• Your chest muscles tense up. Anxiety braces your body for danger, including the muscles between your ribs and across your chest and shoulders.
• You breathe fast and high in your chest, which overworks those muscles and can leave you feeling you can’t get a full breath.
• You overbreathe. Breathing faster than you need lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood, which can add to the tight feeling, tingling and dizziness.
• Your heart pounds, and you feel every beat.
• You notice it more. Worry focuses your attention on your chest, which makes the sensation feel bigger.

8 ways to relieve it in the moment

1. Breathe out for longer than you breathe in

In gently through your nose for 4, out slowly through your mouth for 6. The long out-breath helps your body switch off its alarm and lets your chest muscles relax. Keep going for a few minutes.

2. Don’t chase a deep breath

Gulping big breaths to “fill your lungs” feeds overbreathing and makes the tight feeling worse. Small, slow, gentle breaths work better.

3. Breathe into your belly

Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Let the belly hand rise as you breathe in, while the chest hand stays fairly still. Belly breathing gives your chest muscles a rest.

4. Drop your shoulders and open your chest

Let your shoulders fall away from your ears. Sit or stand tall, roll your shoulders back, and gently open your arms wide, like a stretch after waking.

5. Stretch gently

Stand in a doorway, place your forearms on the frame at shoulder height and lean forward gently until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly. Stop if it hurts.

6. Use warmth

A warm shower, a heat pack on your chest or upper back, or a warm drink in your hands can help tense muscles let go.

7. Tense and release

Squeeze your shoulders up towards your ears for five seconds, then let them drop. Repeat a few times. It shows your muscles the difference between tense and relaxed.

8. Ground yourself and name it

Feel your feet on the floor and name a few things you can see. Then tell yourself: “This is anxiety. My chest muscles are tense. It’s uncomfortable, but it will ease.”

What helps over time

• Practise slow breathing every day, for a few minutes, so it becomes automatic.
• Take posture breaks if you sit hunched at a desk or phone, which can make chest and shoulder muscles tight.
• Move regularly. Walking, swimming and yoga all help release tension.
• Go easy on caffeine, which can make your heart race and your muscles tense.
• Treat the anxiety itself. If chest tightness keeps coming back with anxiety or panic, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help with the worry that drives it.

Is it anxiety, or something else?

It’s more likely to be anxiety if a doctor has checked you before, it feels like your usual anxiety, it comes with other anxiety symptoms, and it eases as you calm down.

It needs checking if:

• it’s new or feels different from usual
• it comes on when you exert yourself and eases with rest
• it comes with wheezing, coughing, fever or swollen ankles
• it doesn’t ease as your anxiety settles

And call 911 if it comes on suddenly or comes with pain spreading to your arm, neck, jaw or back, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or feeling faint.

Frequently asked questions

How long does chest tightness from anxiety last?

During a panic attack, it usually peaks within about 10 minutes and eases as the panic settles. Tense chest muscles can stay sore or tight for hours, or even a day or two, after a bad episode.

Does anxiety cause chest tightness every day?

It can, if you’re anxious most of the time and your chest muscles stay tense. But daily chest tightness should be checked by a doctor at least once, to rule out other causes like asthma, reflux or a heart problem.

Is chest tightness anxiety or my heart?

You can’t always tell at home. Anxiety tightness often comes with other anxiety symptoms and eases as you calm down. Heart-related tightness is often brought on by exertion, or lasts more than a few minutes and spreads. If you’re not sure, call 911.

What’s the fastest way to relieve chest tightness from anxiety?

A long, slow out-breath (in for 4, out for 6), dropping your shoulders and gently opening your chest. Avoid gulping big breaths.

How Breatheasy can help

Once a doctor has ruled out other causes, Breatheasy can help you loosen anxious chest tightness. Its Calm breathing exercise guides you in for 4 and out for 6, with your phone pulsing gently as you breathe in, so you can close your eyes and let your chest relax. If tightness comes with panic, tap “I’m feeling anxious” and Luma walks you through it step by step, then shows how far the anxiety came down. Breatheasy can’t tell what’s causing chest tightness, so if you’re ever unsure, call 911 first. Breatheasy is coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Sources

• Chest pain, NHS
• Breathing exercises for stress, NHS
• Panic disorder, NHS
• Costochondritis, NHS
• Heart attack symptoms, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute