FEELING STRESSED AND ANXIOUS? YOU MIGHT BE OVERBREATHING

Why this resource is helpful:

If you are experiencing stress, numbness, muscle tension, or panic attacks, you could be over-breathing. Get 4 ways to relax the breath.
Quoted From: https://heartspringhealth.com/feeling-stressed-and-anxious-you-might-be-overbreathing/

"There you are in a stressful situation and suddenly you are experiencing dizziness, numbness & tingling, muscle tension, panic attacks, or even digestive upset. It"s possible you could be breathing too much.

What is overbreathing? Believe it or not, you are breathing in too much oxygen and upsetting the balance with carbon dioxide. This can have serious consequences and may contribute to conditions such as:

Hypertension
Sleep issues
Digestive problems
Chronic fatigue and pain
Asthma
Epilepsy
Anxiety & Panic Disorders


Four ways to invite calm and relax the breath
There are various ways you can decrease your breathing rate. By practicing with a decreased breathing rate, you can reset the set point of your breathing center over time to be set to normal physiological levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Breathe through pursed lips
This decreases the actual time with which your breath enters and exits your body. If you feel too faint and dizzy doing this, pick a different strategy.

Activate diaphragmatic breathing
You can try starting by lying down and putting a pillow or bolster under your knees. This relaxes the abdominal muscles so you have more access to a diaphragmatic breath. You can try putting a light weight or book on your abdomen and using your breath to raise and lower the book.

Practice keeping your arms raised above your head while breathing
This prevents the chest muscles from being the primary movers of the breath. You can try practicing this for 5-10 minutes a day to help train your diaphragm to move properly."

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