Table of contents:
- Severe stress can cause shortness of breath
- Why is taking deep breaths for stress relief?
- How to use deep breathing techniques to deal with stress
One piece of advice that most often comes from the mouths of people around us when they see that we are frantically trying to deal with severe stress is, "Calm down. Take a breath first. " Even though sometimes just hearing it can make your heart even hotter, it turns out that this ancestor's advice has a point too, you know!
Scientific research has shown that taking a few moments to be alone and taking deep breaths can make you calmer and more relaxed. But what is the reason?
Severe stress can cause shortness of breath
When you breathe in, your diaphragm tightens and moves downward to make room for the lungs to expand, filling up with oxygen. Then the diaphragm will relax again and move up into the chest cavity as you exhale. The average respiratory rate for a healthy adult in a relaxed state is 12-20 breaths per minute.
But when we are in a stressful situation, the diaphragm flattens out so that we start to breathe quickly and shallowly. Shallow breathing causes the lungs not to get the maximum portion of oxygenated air. As a result, you become short of breath. The panic reaction and discomfort from not being able to breathe normally can further escalate your stress, blood pressure, and anxiety levels.
Why is taking deep breaths for stress relief?
There is a lot of research showing the health benefits of proper deep breathing techniques. People who have asthma, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia, and chronic pain have reported improvements after learning to breathe properly.
The oxygen that enters replaces the carbon dioxide that comes out when we breathe deeply brings a myriad of benefits to the body system. Controlling breathing is reported to slow down the heart rate and lower or stabilize blood pressure. This has been linked to lower stress levels.
But it turns out that the key behind the efficacy of deep breathing techniques to deal with stress both physically and mentally, is not solely a part of the oxygen intake obtained by the lungs. But also from a nerve pathway in the brain that controls your respiratory system.
A joint research team from Stanfod University School of Medici and the University of California found that the human respiratory system is affected by a neural circuit in the brain called the pre-Bötzinger complex. This is located at the base of the brain stem called the pons. They found a group of neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex that send signals to an area in the pons that regulates alertness, attention and stress.
It is also this area of the nerves that influences your emotions when you sigh, yawn, gasp, fall asleep, laugh, and sob. The researchers concluded that these areas monitor your breathing patterns, then report their findings to other structures in the brain stem that influence emotions. This is what affects your emotions when you are stressed.
By controlling your breathing, you can focus your thoughts on slow, deep breathing, which helps you to release yourself from stressful thoughts and sensations. Deep breathing calms the nerves in the brain. This is another reason why taking deep breaths can be such a powerful way to deal with stress.
How to use deep breathing techniques to deal with stress
In order to use breathing techniques to deal with stress and anxiety, it is important to practice deep breathing every day. The easiest way to do this is to first find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Afterward, try to breathe normally as you normally would and place your hands on your stomach. Then inhale slowly through your nose, letting your chest and lower abdomen expand until you feel your hands rising as well. This means that your diaphragm is moving downward to make room for your lungs to fill up with oxygenated air. Let your stomach expand until it reaches its maximum capacity.
Hold your breath for a few minutes, and then exhale slowly through your mouth (or through your nose if this is more comfortable). You should also feel your hands slowly dropping as well. Repeat for a few minutes.
Practicing deep breathing techniques every day will get your body used to breathing the right way. That way, when you are in a stressful situation, you will instinctively use this breathing technique to deal with stress.
