- Many anxiety sufferers breathe too fast and shallow. When confronted with a feared scenario they breathe rapidly which leads to increased shortness of breath and further hyperventilation.Some Symptoms hyperventilation1:-Dizziness
2:-Light headedness3:Lump in the throat4:-Fatigue5:-Poor concentration6:-Choking sensatio7:-Difficulty swallowing8:-Racing heart9:-Shaking10:-Blurred vision11:-Shortness of breath12:-Chest pain13:-Disorientation14:-Tingly sensations or numbness in the hands, feet and mouth.
People who chronically breathe too fast tend to sigh often, take deep breaths and feel short of breath.
Slow breathing can relieve anxiety and prevent you from
having a panic attack, if you do it as soon as you notice yourself
over breathing or becoming anxious. Socially phobic and panicky people
are advised to slow their breathing before tackling a feared situation
or at any time they feel anxious.
When you are first learning this breathing relaxation exercise you
may find it easiest to practice lying flat on your back, knees bent,
feet flat on the floor and eight inches apart. Place one hand on your
chest and one hand on your abdomen.Hold your breath and count to 10
Then breathe out and think’ relax’ to yourself
Then inhale slowly through your nose for 3 seconds. The hand on your abdomen should rise whilst the hand on your chest should stay relatively still.
Then exhale through your mouth for three seconds, making a whooshing noise as you breathe out. Think “RELAX” as you exhale. The hand on your abdomen should fall as you exhale.
After a minute of breathing in and out in a six second cycle, hold your breath again for 10 seconds
Keep repeating this process for 5 minutes.
Once you feel you have mastered the technique lying down, then start practicing slow breathing whilst sitting or standing. Then you will be able to do slow breathing to relax yourself wherever you are in public.
Do this deep breathing for 20 minutes a day and any time when you feel yourself becoming anxious. Depending upon your commitments you might need to break up your 20 minutes during the day into 4 x 5 minutes relaxation segments or 2 x 10 minute relaxation segments.