I never would have imagined that I would see a pandemic in my lifetime. I’m sure many of you are saying the same thing. Yet, here we are, in the midst of the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
My prayer is that you and your families are safe and healthy. I know this is not the case for many of our fellow humans.
Today, many of us are all dealing with bouts of anxiety and panic in the midst of this major pandemic. I wanted to dedicate this month’s blog to reassuring you that we will get through this together. There is a brighter day coming. I can’t promise you how long we have to wait but I can offer you support and encouragement along the way.
What I want to share with you right now is the fact that there are ways to relieve anxiety and panic. You can learn strategies to take charge of your nervousness and experience the serenity you deserve. You can learn to control your anxiety and panic with simple deep breathing techniques.
When you breathe deeply and fully, your body stays calm. You may still be a bit tense, but your relaxed breathing can protect you from an anxiety attack. In an anxiety attack, you may have a tendency to hyperventilate, which increases the level of panic you experience. However, deep breathing keeps you in control.
When you hyperventilate, you take short, quick breaths in the top part of your lungs. Your chest expands, but you aren't getting the full amount of air that you need to remain calm. The quick overload of oxygen you receive from shallow breathing makes your apprehension and panic even worse. It becomes a cycle that can be hard to break without practice.
The Most Beneficial Way To Breathe
Any time you can concentrate on breathing fully – all the way down to your abdomen – you'll improve your relaxation response to stressful situations. If your chest is rising with each breath, you're not expanding your lungs to full capacity. Your body lacks the oxygen it needs to thrive under the pressure of the moment.
Place a hand just above your belly button and breathe. If you're breathing deeply, your hand will rise and fall with each breath.
Practice breathing slowly by taking full, deep breaths. You might feel a bit strange at first because you're not used to it. You may even feel a bit giddy, but that's normal. It'll pass with practice.
You're getting plenty of air, even if you don't feel like you are. Your lungs can expand without your upper chest rising. Only your upper belly needs to rise and fall. At first, you probably won't breathe this way unless you're thinking about it because you're so conditioned to breathe from your chest. Keep practicing often, and you'll soon be breathing properly all the time.
How Breathing Affects Anxiety
Anxiety may be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It may simply be the product of over-active nerves that react too strongly to stimuli. However, regardless of what causes you to feel anxious, the most important thing is to alleviate it and reduce the degree to which it affects your life. Anxiety doesn't have to stop you from living the life you deserve.
By lowering your anxiety, you may be able to:
- Change careers or get promoted
- Speak in front of others without fear
- Travel to places you've always wanted to see
- Embark on a new relationship or business venture
- Reduce your dependency on medication or therapy
If you're contemplating reducing any medication or therapy you're currently using, consult your physician before making any changes to your established regimen. But you can still start deep breathing right away. There are no side effects, as this type of breathing is natural and healthy. And it's something that everyone can learn and benefit from.
In this space and time, we need all the deep breathes we can take.
If you struggle with worry, you can feel more relaxed and in control by simply controlling your breathing. Begin practicing deep breathing strategies today and experience peace in the midst of the storms we’re currently facing!
I have written a short ebook to help with the anxiety and panic you may be experiencing. Be sure to get your copy, it’s absolutely FREE.
I have also opened my calendar to have conversations with those that feel they need someone to talk to or someone to just listen. You can schedule some time to chat with me by CLICKING HERE.
Here’s to Designing Your Victory!
PS This is certainly a time of concern for everyone. It’s also a time when our thoughts can become negative and overwhelming.
It has always been my desire to teach others how to manage their thoughts, thereby managing anxiety and a host of emotions that cause us mental unrest.
I am not a doctor, but I know the power of the mind and how using a few proven techniques can help us take control of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions.
To help you do so, I have prepared this eBook. CLICK HERE to get your FREE copy of Strategies for Coping With Anxiety & Panic.
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