Breathe Slowly, Not Deeply, To
Control Anxiety & Panic Attacks

Anxiety and panic attacks can happen to anyone at any time. Most people experience them at some time in their lives, although it's more common in adolescence and early adulthood. If you suffer from them then you're well aware of the dread that washes over you. Your heart races, you might tremble, feel dizzy, or even start hyperventilating. These are just a few of the more common symptoms.

You might be troubled by just minor spells of anxiety or you may be experiencing so much panic that it dramatically affects your life. Some people can find that the condition prevents them from concentrating, going out in public, maintaining a social life or continuing to work.

It doesn't help that researchers aren’t exactly sure what causes panic attacks in the first place. Psychological or emotional issues were once the presumed cause but now we know that there are many organic factors behind anxiety as well. But no matter what the cause of your anxiety or panic disorder, the sooner you find a solution the better. Luckily, there are many ways to help cope with the condition and to relieve the terrible symptoms and discomfort.

The first thing you should do is to visit your doctor, especially if you are having trouble functioning in your normal routine or if you have any thoughts of harming yourself. Sometimes there may be a physical cause to the problem and this needs to be ruled out by a thorough medical checkup. Even if no physical problem can be found, there are many medications that can be helpful. Anti-anxiety drugs are powerful and should not be taken lightly but they may offer a short-term way through a difficult patch.

Fortunately, most cases of anxiety do not require medication and there are many effective natural ways of coping. The first and possibly most important step is to talk about it with someone you trust. You can do this with someone close to you like a family member, friend or partner. Some people may feel more comfortable talking with a professional such as a doctor or counselor. Or you can take the group support approach. It can be comforting to exchange feelings and gain insights from other people who share your problem. There are many anxiety and panic support groups; the Internet would be a good place to start your search.

Various forms of relaxation are often recommended to prevent or reduce anxiety and panic attacks. Some of the most common of these are meditation, yoga or breathing exercises. Unfortunately, it can prove very difficult to relax in the midst of a panic attack! Fear is a stimulus for your body to go into "fight or flight" mode when both your circulatory and respiratory systems are kicked into overdrive. This produces the universal panic symptoms of a racing heart and hyperventilation. Of course it's very difficult to control our heartbeat but we are all capable of learning to control our breathing.

Breathing control offers by far the best strategy to both prevent and halt a panic attack. Because the circulatory and respiratory systems are so closely connected, affecting one of them will affect the other. What this means is that if you can control your breathing you will control your heartbeat and stop the panic or anxiety attack.

A common misunderstanding about breathing to cope with anxiety is the notion of deep breathing. This can be dangerous advice! The problem is that you will probably already be over-breathing if you are experiencing extreme anxiety or panic. Deep breathing under these circumstances will result in hyperventilation and will worsen the attack. It's no wonder that many people are permanently put off breathing techniques as a result!

"Slow breathing" offers the better solution. Slow breathing for just 15 minutes a day will help prevent attacks by reducing general levels of anxiety. What's more, it will teach you a valuable technique that can quickly reverse panic attacks if and when they happen.

The point of slow breathing is to inhale and exhale gently and slowly in a controlled way, calming yourself with each breath. Watch the way babies breathe when they sleep; they’ve got it right! As we grow older and accumulate stress and bad habits we begin to breathe quickly and shallowly, even more so when feeling anxious. Slow breathing – considered a rate below 10 breaths per minute – will help reverse this pattern and decrease stress and anxiety.

Slow breathing is very effective on its own but it can be even better - and more enjoyable – when combined with music. Music is relaxing and therapeutic in its own right, shown to lower blood pressure in stressful environments such as hospitals. Think about it; people have relaxed to music for centuries! Practicing slow breathing with the right type of gentle, slow-tempo music actually helps you to learn the method as your breathing tends to naturally synchronize with the beat of the music. Slow breathing and music will relax you deeply and rid you of anxiety with each exhale.

One further advantage of slow breathing with music is that you can actually get special tracks of music mixed and synchronized with a track that will guide your breathing. Carried in an mp3 player this makes a totally portable therapeutic aid that can help stave off or reverse a panic attack within minutes. With practice you can even internalize the breathing technique and use it any time you need a moment of peace and calm, with no external aide whatsoever.

Living with any type of anxiety disorder is no laughing matter. Drugs offer an extreme form of temporary relief. Most forms of passive relaxation tend to also be short-lived and too little too late when a full-blown anxiety attack strikes. But slow breathing with music offers a unique and highly effective way to harness nature's own power to calm.

Click here to learn more about slow breathing with music to relieve anxiety and panic attack.