Eczema and many inflammatory skin conditions are strongly modulated by stress — dermatologists estimate that stress triggers or worsens flares in over 70% of eczema patients. The mechanism involves cortisol dysregulation and mast cell activation: chronic stress causes cortisol fluctuations that trigger immune responses in the skin, leading to inflammation, itching, and flares. Breathing exercises address this directly by stabilizing the stress response system.
The stress-itch cycle is particularly vicious in eczema: stress triggers itching, itching causes more stress, and the cycle escalates. Breathing exercises break this cycle at the nervous system level. During an itch episode, 2-3 minutes of extended exhale breathing can reduce the urgency to scratch by calming the sympathetic activation that amplifies itch perception. This prevents the scratching that leads to further skin damage and inflammation.
For long-term eczema management, daily coherence breathing practice reduces baseline cortisol variability and supports the regulatory T-cell function that keeps skin inflammation in check. While breathing exercises do not replace dermatological treatment, they address one of the most significant and often overlooked triggers — chronic stress — that drives flare frequency and severity.