Breathing Exercises For Panic Attacks
Do you live in constant fear of having another anxiety attack? Millions of people around the world do.
While there are several things you can do to prevent anxiety attacks, I'm going to focus on breathing exercises for panic attacks that you can use once you're already having one.
First, here's what you shouldn't do...
We should all be good at breathing, right? It's something we do all day long unconsciously, but many people could breathe better than they do.
Many people who have high anxiety or are more prone to panic attacks automatically breathe with their chest both regularly, and when they're having a panic attack.
Doing this takes more energy, and is less relaxing than breathing with the abdomen, or diaphragm, and creates chest tightening, which only leads to more fear, anxiety, and feelings of less control.
Breathing with the chest makes people who have had an anxiety attack before more anxious, and more likely to have a full blown attack.
In order to relax during a panic attack, we have to breathe in a different, more relaxing way, that gives us more oxygen, loosens the chest, and comforts us.
Here's an easy (and great) breathing exercise for panic attacks...
Learning to breathe abdominally, or from your diaphragm, is not hard.
It takes some time to practice and learn how to do well, but may experts believe it can help you prevent panic attacks, and help you deal with them if they do happen.
Here's an exercise to follow.
The object is to breathe slowly and deeply.
Focus as you're breathing on feeling the air come in through your nose, down your throat, down into your lungs, and all the way down to the very bottom of your spine.
Instead of your chest expanding, this will expand your abdomen.
Each inward breath should take about 10-15 seconds, then hold the breath at the bottom for about the same.
Then, you'll slowly exhale, letting all the air out, and once again focusing your mind on the feeling of the air moving thorough your body.
Repeat until your muscles, mind, and body have relaxed.
While there are several things you can do to prevent anxiety attacks, I'm going to focus on breathing exercises for panic attacks that you can use once you're already having one.
First, here's what you shouldn't do...
We should all be good at breathing, right? It's something we do all day long unconsciously, but many people could breathe better than they do.
Many people who have high anxiety or are more prone to panic attacks automatically breathe with their chest both regularly, and when they're having a panic attack.
Doing this takes more energy, and is less relaxing than breathing with the abdomen, or diaphragm, and creates chest tightening, which only leads to more fear, anxiety, and feelings of less control.
Breathing with the chest makes people who have had an anxiety attack before more anxious, and more likely to have a full blown attack.
In order to relax during a panic attack, we have to breathe in a different, more relaxing way, that gives us more oxygen, loosens the chest, and comforts us.
Here's an easy (and great) breathing exercise for panic attacks...
Learning to breathe abdominally, or from your diaphragm, is not hard.
It takes some time to practice and learn how to do well, but may experts believe it can help you prevent panic attacks, and help you deal with them if they do happen.
Here's an exercise to follow.
The object is to breathe slowly and deeply.
Focus as you're breathing on feeling the air come in through your nose, down your throat, down into your lungs, and all the way down to the very bottom of your spine.
Instead of your chest expanding, this will expand your abdomen.
Each inward breath should take about 10-15 seconds, then hold the breath at the bottom for about the same.
Then, you'll slowly exhale, letting all the air out, and once again focusing your mind on the feeling of the air moving thorough your body.
Repeat until your muscles, mind, and body have relaxed.
Source...