Some of the best advice I have ever been given. Breathing is critical to our mental processes. The deeper we breathe the better oxygenated our blood supply becomes. Our bodies function better and it has a calming affect on us. When you feel a situation is getting out of control remember to check your breathing. Chances are it's become shallow. Focus on taking a few deep breaths and then assess your situation again. There are numerous health benefits to breathing properly. Simply Google and YouTube techniques that you will find invaluable once mastered. I anyone comes across helpful links please share them here.
When I had counselling about twenty years ago, my therapist gave me this tip whenever I had a panic attack. He explained that when a panic attack happens that we are shallow breathing. So he told me to take a deep breath and hold it in then to let it out slowly. It does work, except that when the chest tightens during an attack it is really difficult to get any air in at all. I've also found that taking a sipping water helps. Even just a trickle going down the throat helps to start the breathing process.
Apparently there is some truth in the brown paper bag. We tend to hyperventilate when we stress and this helps to restore the carbon dioxide levels in our body. Just grab a brown paper bag and breathe into it a few times. It's a simple thing to do and very effective.
I agree wholeheartedly - 'take a deep breath' is a common saying for good reason. This is pure conjecture, but you know how when you're consciously alerted to your breathing, it's difficult to forget about it? I feel like sometimes that distraction from whatever else is going through your head can also be an unexpected benefit. That and a few deep breaths and the oxygen that comes with them can really help to hit the figurative reset button, I think.
Our breathing is controlled by the Lizard brain, the oldest part of our brains and the part that works independently to regulate our body functions. It doesn't think the way the rest of our brain does but rather responds to stimulus to keep us funtioning under all conditions. Get stressed and it puts us into a flight or fight response. It takes an act of physical will to counteract this.
