hypnofleet
27-06-07, 14:33
Sufferers from panic attacks are often told to take deep breaths to prevent hyperventilation. However, the instructions about how to do this are often very often counter-productive. Some experts appear to misunderstand what they instructing their patients to do!
We are taught from an early age that neatness is important in body posture. If you take a deep breath, as instructed by parents, schoolteachers and others whose intentions are to produce that neatness, then you will probably breathe into the high chest. This produces tension and stiffness in the neck and shoulder muscles, and a drawing in of the stomach.
If you simulate the position that you would adopt under attack, it is the same. The neck and shoulders tighten to protect the throat and the back of the head. The stomach muscles tighten to protect the soft organs of the abdomen, the liver, kidneys and spleen from injury.
John Smale, hypnofleet
In this way, advice to breathe deeply actually imitates the posture of somebody under threat. Remember that panic, anxiety, stress and anger are responses to a threat, whether real or imaginary.
It is important to learn to breathe deeply into the abdomen rather than the high chest. In this way you will signal to your mind that you are safe, and thereby evoke a recovery response that counters those feelings of anxiety.
Breathing involves two sets of muscles.
The intercostal muscles.
These extend downwards and connect the ribs. When they are contracted the ribs are pulled upwards and outwards to enlarge the rib cage (thoracic cavity). These are the breathing muscles that predominate during the anxiety state when the blood needs to be well oxygenated.
They can work rapidly to produce panting which can lead to hyperventilation where the blood is over oxygenated and leads to tingling in the extremities of the body and light-headedness. This accounts for the high number of panic attack victims who are admitted to the cardio-vascular units of hospitals.
The diaphragm.
This is a dome shaped muscle at the base of the lungs. When contracted it 'flattens' and causes air to flow into the lungs. Its effect is to enlarge the thoracic cavity in length. The diaphragm is the muscle that sucks air into the lower parts of the lungs and in turn, it flushes out waste gases that collect there. This type of breathing is indicative of a relaxed state. It is the natural way to breathe. Every child, including you, breathed in this way until school age.
Breathing, theoretically, includes the use of both sets of muscles to ensure an entrance of fresh air and the expulsion of waste products throughout the lungs. The high-chest breathing which occurs during anxiety states involves the use of the intercostal muscles and the locking of the diaphragm as a result of taught stomach muscles.
Breathing exercises will encourage you to use your diaphragm as the main muscle for respiration so that the recovery response, also referred to as the relaxation response, is evoked. As we are conditioned to breathe with the high chest, concentrating on using the diaphragm will result in a balanced breathing practice. It takes some getting to but continue.
John Smale, hypnofleet
We are taught from an early age that neatness is important in body posture. If you take a deep breath, as instructed by parents, schoolteachers and others whose intentions are to produce that neatness, then you will probably breathe into the high chest. This produces tension and stiffness in the neck and shoulder muscles, and a drawing in of the stomach.
If you simulate the position that you would adopt under attack, it is the same. The neck and shoulders tighten to protect the throat and the back of the head. The stomach muscles tighten to protect the soft organs of the abdomen, the liver, kidneys and spleen from injury.
John Smale, hypnofleet
In this way, advice to breathe deeply actually imitates the posture of somebody under threat. Remember that panic, anxiety, stress and anger are responses to a threat, whether real or imaginary.
It is important to learn to breathe deeply into the abdomen rather than the high chest. In this way you will signal to your mind that you are safe, and thereby evoke a recovery response that counters those feelings of anxiety.
Breathing involves two sets of muscles.
The intercostal muscles.
These extend downwards and connect the ribs. When they are contracted the ribs are pulled upwards and outwards to enlarge the rib cage (thoracic cavity). These are the breathing muscles that predominate during the anxiety state when the blood needs to be well oxygenated.
They can work rapidly to produce panting which can lead to hyperventilation where the blood is over oxygenated and leads to tingling in the extremities of the body and light-headedness. This accounts for the high number of panic attack victims who are admitted to the cardio-vascular units of hospitals.
The diaphragm.
This is a dome shaped muscle at the base of the lungs. When contracted it 'flattens' and causes air to flow into the lungs. Its effect is to enlarge the thoracic cavity in length. The diaphragm is the muscle that sucks air into the lower parts of the lungs and in turn, it flushes out waste gases that collect there. This type of breathing is indicative of a relaxed state. It is the natural way to breathe. Every child, including you, breathed in this way until school age.
Breathing, theoretically, includes the use of both sets of muscles to ensure an entrance of fresh air and the expulsion of waste products throughout the lungs. The high-chest breathing which occurs during anxiety states involves the use of the intercostal muscles and the locking of the diaphragm as a result of taught stomach muscles.
Breathing exercises will encourage you to use your diaphragm as the main muscle for respiration so that the recovery response, also referred to as the relaxation response, is evoked. As we are conditioned to breathe with the high chest, concentrating on using the diaphragm will result in a balanced breathing practice. It takes some getting to but continue.
John Smale, hypnofleet