Taking Deep Breathes

Day 85 / 365

Reddit can be a very productive place to pass some time online if you are smart about it. It has communities like r/askScience and r/explainLikeImfive where you come across some really interesting stuff. For instance, I found this question about taking deep breathes —

diaphragm breathing is when we breathe deep so that our belly expands and not just our chest. This simulates a nerve known as the vagus nerve. When we exhale after a long deep breathe, this vagus nerve is simulated and it makes us feel relaxed and slows down our heart rate. So by taking a long deep breath, you are sending a signal to your body that everything is fine and it can chill for a bit. This is why if you are anxious before an interview or a presentation, a good way to calm your nerves is to just take some deep breathes.

I don’t know how common it is, but I have experienced that feeling quite a few times when you try to take a deep breath but it seems stuck. So no matter how hard you try, you are not quite satisfied with the breath. This is shallow breathing, and it has the opposite effect. It can actually increase our anxiety.

Among other things, bad posture can also contribute to a shallow breathing habit. Focusing on breathing in causes panic. So in order to reduce anxiety, you must do the opposite and focus on exhaling. Exhale hard and then relax. Let the body breathe in on its own.

This story is part of my 365 Day Project for 2019. Read about it here

Yesterday’s blog — Sleep Paralysis