Breathing Technique to Stop Anxiety

Recently I watched a video presentation by Ari Whitten, on “Breathing for Energy” (replay here), which was, as is usual for him, excellent. (I have his Energy Blueprint program.)

Ari shared a number of breathing techniques, along with the surprising news that deep breathing is actually not good for you. Deep breathing does not oxygenate the blood, as is commonly believed. Ari explains the interaction between carbon dioxide and oxygen, and how oxygen actually gets delivered to your cells.

He also explains why we must breathe through the nose, rather than the mouth. Nasal breathing activates nitric oxide, which provides multiple health benefits, including killing virus particles that can lead to respiratory infections.

Most of us over-breathe. Optimal breathing is actually:

• light (not deep)
• horizontal (filling your whole rib cage area)
• slow (the slower the better)
• nasal (breathing through the mouth is very bad for you!)
• diaphragmatic (breathe into your belly, not your chest)–this calms the nervous system.

One breathing technique he described I started using right away, and it’s relevant to Emotional Inflammation. It’s a form of breathing that, in only 2-3 breaths, will calm the brain out of stress and anxiety. He called it the Physiological Sigh. Think when you’re been crying, and you breathe and sort of hiccup before you exhale. That’s a Physiological Sigh.

Here’s how to do it:

1. You will take two breaths. The first is a near maximal inhale (remember: light, slow, nasal, and belly). The second inhale is one short, quick breath.
2. Exhale a long, slow exhale through the mouth (the sigh).

That’s it!

I am grateful to have attended this webinar, especially at the end of this stressful week. The breathing techniques made a big difference. I hope you can take some time to watch the replay. Ari shared other techniques, and also taught how to increase our CO2 levels (this is a good thing) and eliminate over-breathing.