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SYMPTOMS: Part Two, Breathing Correctly

© Karen Hamilton

"Hyperventilation raises the pH level in the nerve cells, making them ore excitable, and it also tends to activate the fight or flight response," says Reneau Peurifoy, M.A, M.F.C.C. in Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic. This causes all of those disturbing symptoms we incorrectly assume are heart attacks, strokes or going crazy.

Many sufferers of panic attacks are not breathing correctly. They many times actually hold their breath when anxious. If you find yourself your yawning or sighing a lot, then you probably are one of those people who holds their breath a lot, without even realizing it! Holding your breath causes the carbon dioxide level to drop, resulting in symptoms of hyperventilation, resulting in a panic attack.

To breathe properly, you must breathe from the diaphragm, not from the upper chest. You can test your breathing style by placing one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Relax and breathe normally. If the hand on your chest moves, you are an upper chest breather - not a good thing, unless you are doing strenuous exercise. A normal breather should find that the hand on the stomach moves. This is normal, resting breathing.

Become aware of your breathing patterns. A normal breathing rate at rest is eight to sixteen breaths per minute. One study of people with panic disorder found an average resting breathing rate of twenty eight breaths per minute!!

Remember, SRB: Stop, refocus, BREATHE! Many, many panic attacks are caused by simple hyperventilation. Correct the breathing and the panic will subside!