When You Learn to Release the Pain, Your Body Will Exhale — Again
by Charlene A. Berry
There’s a physical and metabolic exhale that happens when you stop carrying pain like it’s normal. Your body is literally exhaling at the cellular level every second. The metabolic changes happen inside your cells. Chemistry. Invisible. You can’t see it, but you feel the results. When carbon dioxide builds up, you feel anxious, tight, panicky. When you exhale, your pH balances and calm returns.
Also, physical change happens outside your cells. What you can see and feel. Visible. This is the evidence of the metabolic shift, the change you notice in the mirror and on your body. When stress or pain is released, the body often responds with a longer, slower exhale. It’s a natural signal to your nervous system telling it that the threat has passed. It’s your body’s organic response when you choose you over sorrow.
You will again experience deeper sleep, slower breaths, unclenched shoulders, and a clearer mindset. It’s not a diagnosis; it’s a decision. It’s giving yourself permission, not a prescription. It’s recognition that you can feel good again in your own skin.
The Science Behind the Sigh
According to a February 8, 2023 article published in the American Institute of Stress by Dr. David Spiegel, who highlights the simple act of sighing can reduce stress levels in the body, while exhalation increases blood return to the heart, stimulating the vagus nerve and slowing the heart rate, which is key to calming the body. Cathartic, Over-the-Top Sighs Can Actually Reduce Stress Levels, According to New Science - The American Institute of Stress
What happens in the body when you learn to release the pain and the stress?
Nervous System Shifts
Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system—"fight-or-flight”—is activated. Heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict, and breathing becomes rapid and shallow. When the brain determines the danger is gone, it signals the parasympathetic nervous system—"rest-and-digest”—to calm the body. A long exhale is one of the first physical cues of this shift.
The Vagus Nerve Plays a Role
The vagus nerve is the body’s main “chill-out” pathway. A prolonged exhale stimulates the vagus nerve, which slows the heart rate, reduces muscle tension, and promotes relaxation. This is why techniques like inhaling for 4 seconds and exhaling for 8 seconds can feel like a “reset” button for the nervous system.
The Mechanics of the Respiratory System
Exhalation works through passive and active mechanisms. A rest, relaxing the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles allows the elastic recoil of the lungs to push air out. A longer exhale increases the time the diaphragm stays relaxed, enhancing this passive flow. Internal intercostal and abdominal muscles may assist to deepen the release.
Pressure Changes
Breathing is driven by pressure difference. When thoracic volume decreases during exhalation, lung pressure rises above atmospheric pressure, forcing air out. A slow, extended exhale allows this change to occur gradually, reducing effort and helping the body return to calm.
Pain and Breath Are in Control
Pain can trigger rapid breathing. When pain subsides, the same parasympathetic activation occurs. A slow exhale helps clear residual tension from the diaphragm and intercostal muscles and can reduce carbon dioxide buildup that keeps the body in a heightened state.
Back to the Basics
When you relearn everything the body was taught from the very beginning of your life — breathing, relaxing, bringing calm back into your mind, body, and spirit — your body will basically remember how to perform the way it was designed to do. And when it does, get ready: everything within you will e-x-h-a-l-e — again.
Try this when your body needs a “Reset”:
The 4-8 Breath Technique
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
This extended exhale stimulates your vagus nerve and signals safety to your body. It’s a reset you can do anywhere — in the car, before bed, or when pain feels loud in your mind, in your body, and in your spirit.
Happy breathing!
Charlene A. Berry is a trained prevention specialist and is certified in mental health. She equips individuals, families, and communities with tools, education, and strategies to reduce risk, build resilience, and prevent crisis — before it happens. She addresses root causes, shifts mindsets, and creates pathways to health, safety, and wholeness. Charlene is also the author of the forthcoming Taming the Big 3: Your Mind, Mouth & Emotions – Applying Biblical Strategies to Keep You in Control When They Are Out of Control. Visit her website at www.youareworthit1.com.