If you were to search the internet for natural anxiety relief methods, you’d be met with hundreds of thousands of results spanning all different areas of the web. You will even find different techniques that seem unorthodox on the surface, but claim to be solid anxiety relievers. One of these techniques is ‘humming’, and while it may sound unusual, it does have some scientific backing.
This page discusses the science behind nervous system regulation techniques, including humming, to understand how they can fit into a comprehensive anxiety relief plan. It will focus on:
Nervous system regulation techniques are part of a group of natural anxiety relief methods that focus on the connection between the body and mind. Instead of trying to push away anxious thoughts directly, these techniques work by influencing the physical systems that control how your body responds to stress.1 They are based on the principle that the body and brain are in constant communication, and that physical signals can affect emotional states.
When the brain senses pressure or potential challenge, the nervous system switches into a heightened state of alertness.[1] Regulation techniques aim to act as a guide for the nervous system, helping bring it back toward a calmer state by using physical signals, like breathing patterns, movement, sound, or sensory input.
The nervous system responds strongly to these signals, and even small adjustments can help send calming messages back to the brain.
Before exploring specific techniques, it helps to understand a little about how the nervous system works in the first place.
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You don’t need a scientific background to use nervous system regulation techniques. That said, having a basic understanding of how the nervous system operates can make it easier to see why these methods can be helpful.
The nervous system constantly switches between two main states that influence how your body reacts to different situations.
The first is the sympathetic nervous system, which drives the well-known “fight or flight” response.[2] This system prepares the body to respond to challenge or potential danger.
When it activates, you may notice:[2]
The second is the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body slow down and recover once a stressful situation has passed.[3] A large part of this calming response is influenced by the vagus nerve, which plays a role in regulating processes like breathing and digestion.[3]
When this system becomes more active, you may notice:
Pathological anxiety can begin when the brain misreads a situation as more dangerous than it actually is.[4] The perceived threat becomes exaggerated, which triggers a stronger response than the situation requires.
Once that signal is sent, the body activates its “fight or flight” response. This state prepares you to deal with challenges by increasing alertness and sharpening focus.[5]
The symptoms of anxiety begin to appear when the body remains in this alert state longer than it needs to. The nervous system has difficulty returning to its calmer parasympathetic state, leaving the body ready for action even after the threat has passed.
At that point, you may notice shallow breathing, restlessness, digestive discomfort, or sudden feelings of panic. These physical reactions are the familiar symptoms of anxiety.
Now that we’ve established how the nervous system works and how regulation techniques function, let’s explore whether humming can genuinely help with anxiety.
If you’re familiar with meditation, you may have seen humming used within some practices. If not, a quick browse through “humming meditation” videos on YouTube will show just how popular it is.
It is thought that the vibration produced by humming stimulates the vagus nerve and increases relaxation, making it a type of vagal breathing technique. This is a form of vagus nerve stimulation for anxiety that doesn’t require any equipment, just your own voice.
Some research supports this. A pilot study found that when participants hummed, they recorded lower stress index scores compared to activities like exercise and even sleeping.[6]
The results showed that humming led to increased heart rate variability and signs of enhanced parasympathetic nervous system activity, which suggests a switch toward a calmer state. The researchers concluded that forming a daily humming practice could be an effective stress-reduction technique and may even help slow sympathetic activation over time.[6]
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While humming has gained attention as a nervous system regulation technique, there are many other methods people use to calm anxiety. Below, we introduce four more techniques that have been shown to help manage anxiety and reduce stress:
Deep diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is a well-documented breathing exercise for anxiety. It is thought that by inhaling slowly through the nose, letting your belly expand, then exhaling slowly, you’re able to directly influence your nervous system.
A meta-analysis found that diaphragmatic breathing significantly reduces both physiological and psychological stress markers.[7] One study showed that regular deep breathing practice lowered stress hormones like cortisol and reduced blood pressure.[7] Participants also scored lower on anxiety and psychological scales, which, paired with the fact that it’s a free practice, makes it easy to see why it’s a highly regarded breathing exercise.
The physiological sigh is another well-regarded breathing exercise for anxiety. This technique involves taking two quick inhales through the nose, followed by a slow and extended exhale through the mouth. The double inhale maximizes air into the lungs, and the prolonged exhale helps clear carbon dioxide, slowing the heart rate.
Neuroscientists found that just five minutes of this breathing technique daily led to greater improvements in mood and reduced physiological stress more than mindfulness meditation.[8]
In their month-long randomized trial, the exhale-focused breathing lowered participants’ resting respiratory rates and anxiety levels more than other breathwork styles.[8] The likely reason is that elongated exhalations directly tap into the parasympathetic response, cueing the body to relax.
We all know the shock that comes with cold water being splashed on us, but research suggests the effects go beyond that initial reaction.
A sudden chill to the face can trigger the mammalian dive reflex, an evolutionary response that immediately slows the heart rate and shunts blood toward core organs.
In a clinical experiment studying those with panic disorder, researchers tested this by asking participants to submerge their faces in cold water for thirty seconds.[9] The cold exposure produced a marked drop in heart rate and significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety in these patients.
Activating the dive reflex engages the vagus nerve and calms an acute stress response.[9] The study noted that this technique is easily accessible and that even holding a cold pack or ice against the face can bring rapid relief.9 It can also potentially be one of the more effective grounding exercises for panic attacks when you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed.
Progressive muscle relaxation is a well-known anxiety reduction technique that involves deliberately tensing and then releasing different muscle groups throughout the body.10 The process usually begins at one end of the body, such as the feet or shoulders, and gradually works through each area until the whole body has been engaged.[10]
The idea behind this technique is that by briefly creating and then releasing tension, the nervous system can recognize the difference between stress and relaxation more clearly. When the muscles let go, signals are sent back to the brain that the body is safe, encouraging the nervous system to settle.
To test its efficacy, researchers gathered participants and asked them to complete a guided thirty-minute session each day for a week.[10] By the end of the study, anxiety levels had significantly decreased on clinical anxiety scales, and sleep quality had improved compared to the beginning of the trial.[10]
Researchers believe that the release of muscle tension encourages the parasympathetic nervous system to take over, guiding the body back toward a calmer state.[10] This technique is sometimes used within somatic therapy for anxiety, which focuses on releasing stress held in the body.
Research shows that nervous system regulation techniques can be genuinely helpful when trying to calm the body during moments of stress. Every one of the techniques above sends physical signals to the brain that can encourage the nervous system to move away from a constant state of alertness.
This can make anxiety feel more manageable in the short term as these techniques create a small window of relief that helps people regain control during stressful moments.
That said, these techniques aren’t direct ‘cures’ for persistent or long-term anxiety and should be viewed as supportive tools. This is because anxiety is influenced by a wide range of factors, like thinking patterns, life experiences, stress levels, and underlying mental health conditions.
So, while calming the body can reduce immediate symptoms, it doesn’t address the deeper patterns that keep anxiety returning.
This means that nervous system regulation techniques could be most effective when combined with evidence-based treatments.
Anxiety disorders can respond well to structured care when the right support is in place. Treatment usually begins with a careful look at how persistent worry develops and why certain thoughts keep resurfacing during the day. Understanding these patterns allows clinicians to see how anxiety becomes reinforced.
Once those patterns become clearer, treatment focuses on how people respond when anxious thoughts appear. The aim is to gradually reduce the control that worry can have over everyday life.
Therapy usually forms the center of treatment because it gives people space to examine anxiety in detail while learning anxiety coping strategies adults can use outside of sessions. Treatment plans may also include nervous system regulation techniques that help settle the physical stress response linked to anxiety. Breathing exercises for anxiety and grounding exercises for panic attacks are sometimes introduced when symptoms intensify. Trauma-informed anxiety treatment may also be appropriate when past experiences are causing symptoms.
Medication may also become part of treatment when anxiety begins interfering with day-to-day life. Prescriptions are usually considered alongside psychological treatment rather than as a standalone solution.
If you’ve been practicing breathing exercises for anxiety, but found that they’re not quite hitting the mark, it may be time to consider further support. Anxiety shouldn’t be something that has to be tolerated, and when issues like panic attacks start to present, it’s a clear sign that help is needed.
A Mission For Michael provides support for a range of anxiety disorders, as well as support for other mental health conditions, like:
Treatment at AMFM is centered around the understanding that anxiety can manifest in different ways for different people. This is exactly why our team combines evidence-based psychological therapies with holistic methods. A balance like this creates a treatment plan that reflects your actual needs rather than relying on guesswork.
Evidence-based therapies like CBT, DBT, EMDR, and ACT are commonly used alongside approaches that focus on mind-body therapy for anxiety.
We also understand that setting plays a major role in someone’s recovery, which is why we offer both outpatient and residential facilities.
If you, or someone you love, is currently being weighed down by anxiety, know that there is support out there. Start the process today by contacting a member of our team, who would be more than happy to discuss your options and any other questions you may have.
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