Do you often feel anxious and stressed? Maybe even panicky at times?
Often when we feel stressed we take short shallow breaths in our upper chest, or even unconsciously hold our breath, leading to hyperventilating. And, when we feel we can’t breathe properly we may panic further and this creates a vicious circle of ‘shallow breathing’. Shallow breathing can, of course, create all kinds of unpleasant sensations in your body, such as a sense of dread, or a feeling of light-headedness, or as if you are ‘off balance’.
The good news is that you can control this by trying this simple yogic breathing exercise whenever you feel overwhelmed. It will help slow down your breathing rate and restore calmness.
Here’s how:
Find a comfortable position, either seated or lying down.
Take a few moments to notice how you are feeling.
Inhale through the nose for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and then exhale for a count of eight.
Practice for a few minutes a couple of times a day, or whenever you may feel panic bubbling up.
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