Do You Hold Your Breath When You Work?
I used to. All the time. Especially at my computer.
I’d catch myself hunched forward, shoulders tight, belly clenched.
And here’s what I didn’t notice at first: I wasn’t breathing.
Not a big, dramatic breath-hold. Just subtle pauses that happened without me realizing it. But over hours of work, they added up.
By the end of the day, I had a knot in my stomach. Wired. Tense. Like something in me needed to let go.
For years, I thought alcohol was the thing that would release it.
What I didn’t know back then is that breath-holding and stomach tension were stress responses I had trained into myself. And they fueled my cravings. Every knot in my belly felt like a craving that needed relief.
Once I spotted this pattern and changed it, sobriety got a whole lot easier.
Holding Your Breath Without Realizing
This even has a name: “email apnea” or “screen apnea.”
You sit down, focus hard, and your breathing gets shallow… then pauses.
You don’t notice. But your body does.
When breath pauses, your brain thinks something’s wrong. Stress hormones rise. Muscles tighten. Before long, this becomes your default mode, especially under pressure.
What Stomach Tension Does
Now add stomach tension.
We tighten our stomachs without noticing: bad posture, long hours, bracing for stress. But the gut is where so many emotions live.
Tense the gut and your brain hears another alarm: Something’s wrong.
And just like that, you’re stuck in a loop:
- Breath shortens or pauses
- Stomach tightens
- Brain signals stress
- Cortisol spikes
- Emotions rise
- Cravings show up to “fix” it
Do it long enough and the loop runs on autopilot.
How These Habits Drain You
It looks harmless, but here’s what’s happening:
- Less oxygen, so you feel foggy, tired, and reach for quick fixes.
- Cortisol spikes keep you stuck in fight-or-flight.
- Posture breaks down, adding neck, shoulder, and jaw tension.
- Breathing imbalance leads to dizziness, headaches, even anxiety.
And it all happens quietly, in the background.
Tension Feeds Cravings
Your stomach isn’t just for digestion. It’s wired into your emotions. Scientists even call it the “second brain.”
Clench your abs for hours, and your nervous system reads it as stress. You feel restless and uneasy.
If alcohol used to be your “relaxation tool,” your brain translates that tension into craving: I need a drink.
But what if the edge you feel isn’t emotional at all?
What if it’s just your posture and breath?
That shift changed everything for me. Once I released stomach tension and brought awareness to my breathing, the cravings lost their grip.
A Quick Check-In
Try this right now:
- Are you breathing freely, or holding your breath?
- Is your stomach soft, or tense?
- Shoulders rounded forward, or relaxed?
- Spine tall, or slouched?
- Feet planted, or dangling?
Small details. Big difference after a ten-hour desk day.
The tricky part is it’s unconscious. You don’t choose to clench your stomach or hold your breath. It just happens. And you only notice when the day ends, and cravings spike.
Why Relaxing Your Body Matters
There’s a saying in somatic psychology: “The issues are in the tissues.”
Your body doesn’t just reflect stress. It creates it.
Tight belly, shallow breath, rigid posture...you’re going to feel more anxious, less clear, and less in control.
And those are the exact qualities you need most when you’re building a life alcohol-free.
So instead of fighting cravings in your head, start with your body.
Release the pressure before it demands relief.
Simple Things You Can Do Today
- Breathe on purpose: once an hour, take 3 slow breaths: in for 4, hold for 2, out for 6. Let your belly expand.
- Soften your stomach: put a hand on your belly. If it’s tense, say to yourself, It’s safe to let go.
- Adjust posture: feet flat, hips slightly above knees, spine tall but relaxed, shoulders back, eyes level with the top of your screen.
- Move every hour: walk, stretch, shift. Two minutes is enough.
- Take micro-pauses: one slow inhale, one slow exhale. It resets everything.
When You Breathe and Release
When you soften your stomach and breathe fully, you tell your nervous system: We’re safe. We can relax.
Cravings lose their edge.
You feel calmer, clearer, more in control.
And it’s easier to make choices that match your long-term goals.
Awareness Changes Everything
You don’t have to be perfect. I still catch myself holding my breath or tensing my belly.
The difference now? I notice. I pause. I release.
That small act stops the knot in my stomach from forming. And without the knot, the craving never comes.
We focus so much on changing our thoughts. But sometimes, the real shift starts with the body.
— Brent