Breathing exercises against anxiety

Many of the unpleasant physical symptoms of anxiety, such as heart palpitations, chest pain, choking sensations, pressure in the stomach, as well as diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems, can be alleviated with breathing exercises.

Why is that?

Physiologically, states of anxiety, stress and tension are caused and maintained by changes in the ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide in the blood. Associated with this is the leaching of lactic acid into the muscles which causes feelings of tension, muscle twitching, spinal pain and many other psychosomatic problems.

Learning to breathe correctly is not as easy as it first seems and we must take care not to automate any breathing "habit" that could turn against us. Particularly in the case of more severe forms of anxiety, it is advisable to carry out the first training under the supervision of a breathing therapist, or to support the training with a virtual reality breathing sensor.

How to breathe during a panic attack or an attack of extremely strong anxiety?

In order to manage panic attacks and massive anxiety attacks, it is necessary to master breathing exercises with precision and to automate them in the right form so that they actually help us and not harm us.

  1. Start by holding your breath for three seconds.
  2. Perform a long exhalation lasting six seconds.
  3. There is a short pause before breathing in - just half a second.
  4. Take a long breath again for three seconds.
  5. We hold our breath, this time in a full inhale. Tighten the muscles in the shoulders and arms while pushing the abdominal wall forward like a ball with all your strength. Hold at maximum tension for three seconds. More advanced ones can add the so-called Valsalva manoeuvre.
  6. This is followed by a long exhalation lasting six seconds. We let the air out of the lungs without effort, trying to slow the exhalation rather than speed it up. During the exhalation, relax the muscles of the shoulders, arms and abdomen, letting the whole body "droop" to relax.
  7. Repeat the whole process from point 1 to point 6.
How to breathe a milder form of anxiety?

Inhale deeply through the nose, consciously filling the lungs as much as possible. Exhale deeply through the mouth. Even with this exercise, make sure that the exhalation is slower than the inhalation. A simple rule should be maintained: the exhalation should be about twice as long as the inhalation.

This is associated with the leaching of lactic acid into the muscles, which causes feelings of tension, muscle twitching, spinal pain and many other psychosomatic problems.

It's natural that our attention will wander and we certainly won't try to keep it spasmodically. Just follow the flow of our attention. If we find it wandering somewhere else, we'll try to bring it back to our breath. The exercise should take seven to ten minutes.

Breathing and relaxation exercises to prevent anxiety

Relaxation exercises are used to practice the calm phase, which we should be able to induce after an anxiety attack. But they also work as excellent preventive exercises to reduce and alleviate anxiety. There are several types of relaxation exercises, here is one specific example. First, lie down on a comfortable mat or settle into your favourite chair.

  1. Breathe calmly and regularly. With each exhalation, your body relaxes... more and more relaxes... surrender to it.
  2. Relax the forehead... the eyebrows... the eyelids... the cheeks... the tongue... the whole face.
  3. Relax your neck... shoulders... arms... all the way down to your fingertips. Remember to keep breathing calmly and regularly.
  4. Be aware of the feeling of relaxation in the abdominal area.
  5. Relax your chest... back... buttocks... thighs... knees... calves... feet all the way down to your fingertips.
  6. Breathe calmly and regularly. Be aware that with each exhalation you are relaxing more and more.
  7. Take a deep breath... hold your breath for a few seconds... slowly exhale.
  8. You are becoming more and more relaxed, you are concentrating now only on your breath.
  9. Slowly move your fingertips on your feet, calves, thighs.
  10. Shake your fingers, arms and shoulders.
  11. We wash our eyes, yawn and slowly sit up or stand up.
Muscle exercises against anxiety

Muscle exercises serve to break down the increased lactate levels in the muscles that have been caused by the stress response associated with the state of anxiety. Again, one specific instruction is given, this exercise should take about ten minutes. Lie down on a mat or get comfortable in a chair.

  1. Clench both fists so that you feel the tension in your fist and forearm... relax.
  2. Bend your elbows and clench your biceps... relax.
  3. Stretch your arms and flex your triceps... relax.
  4. Raise your eyebrows... relax.
  5. Tighten the muscles around your eyes... relax.
  6. Tighten your jaws by clenching your teeth tightly... relax.
  7. Frown... relax.
  8. Close your eyes tightly... relax.
  9. Press your tongue against your palate, lips closed, notice the tension in your throat... relax.
  10. Clamp your lips tight... relax.
  11. Bend your head as far as you can... relax.
  12. Push your chin against your chest... relax.
  13. Raise your shoulders to your ears... relax.
  14. Pull your shoulder blades together... relax.
  15. Take a deep breath, fill your lungs completely, hold your breath... exhale and relax.
  16. Tighten your abdominal muscles... relax.
  17. Tighten your buttocks... relax.
  18. Tighten your calves... relax.
  19. Pull the tips to the shins... relax.
  20. Calmly and regularly take 7 breaths in and out and as you exhale, imagine your body relaxing like a rag doll. Then gently sit or stand up.