Wrong breathing habits are associated with panic, anxiety, depression, and other problems. It is important to find the most effective way to breathe and get used to it.

Test yourself: At rest, place your hand on your stomach, and breathe naturally as you are used to. Does your stomach area move in and out, while shoulders and chest are fixed? Do you allow at least 3 seconds between breathing out and breathing in? Do you breathe in through your nose rather than through your mouth? If you answer "no" to one or more questions, you might not breathe properly.

Rate and Rhythm
Breathing too quickly and/or too deeply (over-breathing or hyperventilating) can bring on anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, breathing too shallowly can do the same. It mostly has to do with the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood: lack of sufficient oxygen going to the brain can trigger our sympathetic nervous system, while insufficient carbon dioxide can also cause problems.

Test yourself: Do you take more than ten breaths a minute at rest? Do you often gasp, yawn or breathe deeply especially when you feel anxious? If the answer is yes, you could be over-breathing.

When we are anxious, we sometimes feel out of breath. The natural response is to breathe in more, but this could actually make things worse. Instead, we need to slow down our breathing. The following is an example of a good technique to exercise slow breathing:

• breathe in slowly to the count of 3 seconds
• when you get to 3, slowly breathe out to the count of 3 seconds
• pause for 3 seconds before breathing in again
• continue this exercise for 5 minutes or so, twice a day

Abdominal Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the cleansing of the lymph system by creating a vacuum effect which sucks the lymph through the bloodstream.


Key players: nose and lips
The human being was designed to inhale air through the nose. Our nostrils are first line of defense. They filter out particles of dust and dirt. Breathing through the nose also help us regulate a correct rhythm of breathing.

Reverse Breathing
In Reverse Breathing, the stomach contracts as we breathe in, and expands as we breathe out. It is the opposite of normal abdominal breathing.

Jacobsen's progressive relaxation, also known as Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), involves alternating contractions with relaxation of various muscle groups. The aim of this strategy is to build awareness of your own muscle tension and then learn to control and relax those tense muscle groups at will, one at a time. Some people start with their scalp and work down to their feet; others start with their feet and work up to their scalp.
These techniques are also used by athletes and individuals suffering from insomnia.

Aromatherapy is the use of oils extracted from aromatic plants to enhance health and beauty.