⌘ Breathing Well

I developed terrible anxiety in mid-life. I was unable to socialize. I was unable to work. It was the worst experience of my life. Changing the way I breathe turned it all around.

The Problem

When our bodies perceive a threat, we start to breathe faster. It’s an automatic response that brings more oxygen into our system, giving us the energy we need to respond.

This is beneficial as long as threats are intermittent. But if the body is chronically stressed (or in pain), and therefore chronically breathing fast, it can cause problems. (You may not realize that you are breathing faster. This is mostly unconscious.)

When we breathe too quickly, we expel more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than we should. Over time, this causes our body chemistry to shift out of balance.

Symptoms

This can result in:

Why does this happen? Because carbon dioxide is very important for our bodies. If our CO₂ levels are too low, blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow to the brain and throughout the body. Also, CO₂ is needed to release oxygen from blood cells so it can be used for energy.(1)

A Solution

Ideally, we change our circumstances to remove the threat, so we can relax and breathe normally. However, this is often not possible, or we may not consciously realize where the stress is coming from. What we can do is to become more healthy and resilient, so we can better handle the stresses of life.

The solution is to train our bodies to breathe more slowly. We can do this by practicing deep slow breathing. It is soothing for our nervous system, and it recalibrates our breathing, so we breathe more slowly throughout the rest of the day, even when we are not practicing.

The Practice

First, it is important to note that this is not something you do in the heat of a panic attack to bring immediate relief. This is a daily practice that helps to prevent anxiety and panic attacks from arising in the first place.

I recommend practicing with an app such as Breathing Zone or iBreathe. It will guide your breathing, so you don’t have to think about the timing.

Start out with a breathing rate that feels comfortable for you, perhaps around 6 breaths per minute. I prefer an extended exhale pattern, where the exhale is much longer than the inhale. (2) Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the mouth, pursing your lips to slow the exhale.

Start out slow, with just a few breaths per session. Build up from there until your practice sessions are at least 5 minutes long. (I currently practice for 10 minutes.) As you feel comfortable, you can slowly reduce the breathing rate as well.

Make sure you practice at least once every day. The effects are cumulative. You may not notice a difference until you have been practicing for two weeks. Keep it up! It is worth it.

Obstacles

For some people, this kind of breathing practice itself can trigger feelings of anxiety or panic. This can be a serious obstacle to recovery. (If that does not apply to you, feel free to skip this section!)

Remember that the goal is to bring up our CO₂ levels. The problem is that, for some people, their body chemistry has shifted, and they can no longer tolerate higher levels of CO₂. For these people, higher CO₂ levels trigger feelings of anxiety, shortness of breath, air hunger, and panic. This condition is called carbon dioxide hypersensitivity.

So how do we get out of this bind? We need to increase our CO₂ tolerance. It’s like building a muscle. Start out very slowly, with just a few deep breaths. Stop when it starts to feel uncomfortable. Next practice session, see if you can do one more breath. Over time, your body chemistry will shift, you will be able to tolerate higher levels of CO₂, and your breathing practice will become a source of calm and relaxation.

Conclusion

This practice changed my life, and I am convinced it could help countless others. That is why I created this website. I am not selling anything. I only ask that, if this practice helps you, please spread the word. And if you are willing to share a short testimonial, please get in touch: w.fields@gmail.com

Testimonials

“I feel better than I have felt in a long time” —FF

“Been doing them every day for the past 6 months or so, feeling so much better every morning.” —AR

Footnotes:

  1. This is known as the Bohr Effect.
  2. Other patterns such as 4-7-8 breathing or box breathing also work.