Hi everybody! There has been a lot of talk about
breathing exercises in our posts lately...which is good! It is one of the best anxiety- fighting tools we can use...but at the same time, I think that a lot of people are skeptical of how such a simple thing as controlled, deep breathing can make such a difference in how we feel. I have done a lot of reading on this, and would like to offer the following information for everybody. It really helped me to realize just how improtant proper breathing is from a scientific perspective. Respirtory Alkalosis is the term used for the change in blood chemistry which occurs during hyperventilation. (many people hyperventilate when anxious without even realizing it.) When the overly akaline based blood is circulated throughout the body, many of the organs and systems are affected, causing various symptoms. Here is an interesting part of an article that I found...
Hyperventilation, the primary cause of respiratory alkalosis,
is also the primary symptom. This symptom is accompanied by dizziness, light headedness, agitation, and tingling or
numbing around the mouth and in the fingers and hands. Muscle twitching, spasms,
and weakness may be noted. Seizures, irregular heart beats, and tetany (muscle
spasms so severe that the muscle locks in a rigid position) can result from
severe respiratory alkalosis. So the breathing exercises are not merely a meditative/relaxing activity, made to instill a sense of serenity...(although they will do that too)...they are actually reversing a problem in the blood brought on by anxiety! I hope that this helps to explain things, and maybe what you are experiencing and dealing with. It is not the case with everyone maybe, but very likely when having anxiety problems. If you haven't tried breathing exercises yet, I would encourage you to do so...we have some in our Anxiety Resource Guide, and I have a favorite and will post it if anyone request it:) Good health and keep breathing!S.C.