Disclaimer: Human Health is not recommending any specific medical treatment for any particular symptom, nor providing any other medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor regarding any medical concern.

The hallmark symptoms of anxiety include changes to thoughts and behavior, such as excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, and feeling irritable. Anxiety causes neuropsychiatric symptoms because it affects the way the brain and nervous system functions.

However, it is common for people with anxiety to experience physical manifestations of anxiety alongside behavioral or psychological symptoms, and in some cases, these physical signs may be the first indicator that someone is dealing with anxiety.

Some of these physical symptoms include muscle tension, restlessness, and shortness of breath.

What is shortness of breath?

Also known by the medical term ‘dyspnea’, shortness of breath is defined as difficult or labored breathing, and it is often described as the feeling that you can’t get enough into your lungs. You may feel as if you can’t breathe deep enough or fast enough.

Shortness of breath is a symptom that affects the respiratory system, but it is not a symptom isolated to respiratory illnesses. Shortness of breath can be attributed to a range of conditions, including heart conditions, gastrointestinal problems, and mental health conditions.

What causes shortness of breath?

There are many different causes for shortness of breath, and it can vary based on the specific condition the difficulty breathing is related to.

For people who have anxiety, experiencing shortness of breath as a symptom may be related to activation of the autonomic nervous system, which can also be affected in POTS and anxiety. This division of the nervous system is designed to activate our body’s defence mechanisms when we’re in danger, such as the fight, flight, or freeze responses. When you experience anxiety, the brain is perceiving your situation as dangerous and tries to react accordingly by altering your breathing rate, as well as other factors like your heart rate.

People with anxiety may experience episodes known as panic attacks, or acute attacks of anxiety or fear that are characterized by shortness of breath as well as the symptoms below:

• Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Feelings of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint
• Chills or heat sensations
• Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations), which can also occur in conditions like fibromyalgia.
• Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
• Fear of losing control or “going crazy"
• Fear of dying

How can I tell if my shortness of breath is caused by anxiety?

If you’re experiencing shortness of breath, you should discuss this with your healthcare professional, who will be able to consult with you about your symptoms and if anxiety is the likely cause. Although shortness of breath can be attributed to anxiety in some cases, it is also related to other healthcare concerns, and as such you should follow up with a professional.

If you have been experiencing this symptom and want to find out if there are any triggers for your shortness of breath, like stressful situations or anxious thoughts, it might be helpful to download a health tracking tool.

Human Health is a free app that you can use to keep a daily record of when your symptoms occur and how they change over time. This information can be useful to show your clinician to help them better understand how your symptoms are impacting you and your health.

Click here to download Human Health.

We hope you found this article helpful. If you did, please feel free to share it. We’d love for our resources to reach those who need them.

Resources

1. Hashmi MF, Modi P, Basit H, et al. Dyspnea. [Updated 2023 Feb 19]. StatPearls [Internet]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499965/
2. De Peuter S, et al. Dyspnea: The role of psychological processes, Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 24, Issue 5, 2004, Pages 557–581. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2004.05.001.

‍