Our breathing is linked to our feelings. When we are relaxed we breathe slowly, and when we are anxious we breathe more quickly.
When we are relaxed we will be taking in Oxygen and our body is balanced. Then we release Carbon Dioxide (waste product) we exhale it out of our body. This works well when we are relaxed.
If we get stressed (and not exercising) our breathing rate increases and we take in more Oxygen and breathe out more Carbon Dioxide than usual. But this is not done when our body is actually expelling the Carbon Dioxide faster than it is being produced and thus the blood levels will lower and will change thee pH of the blood (respiratory alkalosis). This is when you get the unpleasant light-headed, tingly feeling in our fingers and toes and we go all sweaty and clammy, and faint. This makes us feel worse.
BUT we can change our breathing. We can learn to slow it down in times of stress. We can learn to regulate our breathing so that we can avoid this physiological state.
Healthy breathing, and what happens when we breathe too rapidly.
We reverse this by consciously slowing our breathing.
At Integral Psychology we have you practice how to do this and you are able to make a personal recording you can play and practice. You will learn to be in control of your physiology and slow your breathing and return to a more relaxed state.
