Breathing exercises

[Kevin160]

Hey everyone, whenever i get panic attacks or just general anxiety, i tend to start deep breathing , like very deep quick breaths until i get dizzy sometimes, it always helps and my bp and stress levels always go down, now my question is this safe ?

[Hidden]

I'm not sure about that...I do slow breaths while counting to 5 in through my nose, then out through my mouth...it tends to be very helpful and calming!

Dump trucks of love, peace, light, joy & hugs!

[Kevin160 in reply to Hidden]

You are too kind thank you so much, what i do is sort of hyperventilation , im not sure if its dangerous but its one of the few things that calm me down instantly, i feel a bit dizzy so thats why im asking

[Hidden in reply to Kevin160]

Yea I would do it the way I do..doesn't sound good the way you do it...you want to calm down...not hype up!

Dump trucks of love, peace, light, joy & hugs!!

[Kevin160 in reply to Hidden]

Yes your way seems to be healthier and more calming , thank you so much ❤️

[Hidden in reply to Kevin160]

I am so happy it worked for...great news...now keep

Up the good work..you will be rewarded, wonderful....xxxxx

[Kevin160 in reply to Hidden]

I sure hope so, its just that im starting to feel anxious and feel panic alot of times a day but i hope this starts to work

[Hidden in reply to Kevin160]

You have to get used to doing it, once you do...it will become natural, also take your mind to a happy place or time...so helpful for me...feed as much positive into your mind that you can, it will breed more positive for you, get rid of all negative...so not good for us! I wish you all the best!

Dump trucks of love, peace, light, joy & hugs!

[Kevin160 in reply to Hidden]

Yes i try , but for example today i was so relaxed then suddenly i started getting this bad headache , and my health anxiety kicked in , and i got anxious and i started getting these negative thoughts that i will stay like this, this will never get better, and i start getting physical symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pains and it just scares me because as much as i got these before its difficult to ignore them ..i honestly feel terrible

[Hidden in reply to Kevin160]

When those negative thoughts come in...change them to a positive, the negative isn't helping you so why not try to feed the positive in, you will be rewarded. I wish you all the best.

Dump trucks of love, peace, light, joy & hugs!

[Jeff1943]

Kevin, what you describe could lead to hyperventilation. The usual breathing exercise is to breathe in slowly, hold it for 5 seconds, then breathe out slowly, pause a few seconds and repeat. This releases natural tranquilisers that have a calming effect.

[Kevin160 in reply to Jeff1943]

Yes i used to do that but i think hyperventilation was something i would do involuntary and it sort of stayed, and i got used to it to calm down..i guess other breathing exercises do the same trick.

[Aims_Namast]

Hi Kevin160! When I have gotten panic attacks, I have focused on my breath and gotten dizzy too. I teach a type of yoga that focuses solely on your breath that is synchronized with movement - this has helped me focus without getting dizzy. If you like podcasts and want to try yoga- check out Live Love Teach. Sending strength!

[Kevin160 in reply to Aims_Namast]

Well, thats not exactly the problem, its just i wanted to see if what im doing is wrong because eventhough it helps me calm , i think that hyperventilation is not healthy, so its more than just dizziness i heard from friends that its nit heakthy and i wanted to ask people who had experience with it, i will surely look into the podcasts, i really appreciate the help thank you so much 😊❤️

[masa2333]

Hello Kevin, I advise you to try The 4-7-8 breathing exercise. You can google it or see on youtube for a tutorial. Basically you have to sit completely relaxed and then you inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, pumping your stomach instead of lungs, then hold your breath a little, and then excale through your mouth really slowly (for 8 sdconds, or even better longer). You can exercise this tehnique everyday for 3-4 minutes when you are relaxed. After you practise how to do it correctly it is possible to stop a panic attack or nervousness fast! you could feel a bit dizzy when firstly trying this, but that is completely normal and safe. My psychologist taught me this. Hope it helps

[Kevin160 in reply to masa2333]

Thank you so much, i will try this and see how it goes

[Florida1959]

It is safe, but you should be taking long slow breaths, not quick, as quick breaths increase your heart rate, and your blood pressure, so may make you dizzy, xx I count to 5 in though nose and out through mouth xx

[Kevin160 in reply to Florida1959]

Thank you