Try the Simple Breathing Technique 'Power Breath' to Reduce Anxiety

The thought of performing a gig tomorrow can nervous anybody, or an exam the day after can

make one feel helpless so much so that the student won’t remember a thing, or giving a

presentation later in the day to the prospective stakeholders can make a person go weak at the

knees. No person is devoid of anxiousness. But if your anxiety levels are soaring up each day, with

seemingly persistent and uncontrollable angst and fretfulness, it can be a sign of an anxiety

disorder.

Anxiety disorder is

the most common

mental disorder in

the United States. A

person who shows

visible signs of

anxiety should

always seek medical

help from a certified

professional for a

long-term cure. But

some simple self-

help techniques can

help an individual

reduce anxiety

symptoms to a great

extent. “Power

breath” – an easy

breathing technique – is one of the best coping behaviors to feel better.

The simpler the better

When Arthur Somers Roche said, “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If

encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained,” he personified the

darker side of being anxious.

So why should it be encouraged at all? Knowledge forum Big Think has devised a new technique

on the basis of old solutions that can help an anxious person remain calm. Known as “power

breath,” the new technique can calm down nerves instantly, by fooling “the mind and body” into

thinking that it is in a relaxed state.

Big Think has created a YouTube video, titled “Mind Hack: Combat Anxiety with This Breathing

Technique,” that explains the process of generating calmness with a few inhales and exhales.

Video game designer Jane McGonigal, author of SuperBetter, said, “The way you do it is that you

exhale for twice as long as you inhale. So you might inhale for a count of four and exhale for a

count of eight.”

“Power breath” technique mimics normal breathing process

The power breath technique actually calms the nerves by altering the “fight or flight” response

to the parasympathetic, i.e., the “rest and digest” response that relaxes the muscles and the

heart rate. When an individual experiences the sympathetic stage of “fight or flight” and wants

to move away from it, inhaling for four and exhaling for eight, implying the exhalation is twice as

long as the inhalation, can help generate a “rest and digest” state.

The breathing technique can be used to prevent panic attacks, migraine, and muscle cramps. The

most important outcome of the technique is that it helps to mimic the normal breathing process

of a person during a “calm and collected” state. The fact we tend to overlook in a normal state is

that the exhales during a normal breathing process are generally longer than the inhales, and this

is what the power breath technique tells to do in an anxious state.

Jane said, “If we’re able to ‘trick’ the mind and body into thinking we’re calm and connected, we

begin to breathe the way we would be breathing if we were naturally in a state of calm and

connection.”

Way towards recovery

“Power breath” can be an effective self-help technique to combat bouts of anxiety. When a

patient knows how to control his breath in difficult situations, he can set himself free from mild

anxiety attacks. However, in case anxiety becomes uncontrollable, it is important to seek

treatment from a professional. A timely treatment from a reputed anxiety treatment center in

California can help an individual cope with such disorders in a better manner.

If you or your loved one is suffering from anxiety disorders, contact the Anxiety Treatment

Centers of California to get a superior and effective anxiety disorders treatment in California.

For more information and assistance, you may call our 24/7 helpline at 855-972-9459.

For more information please visit

www.anxietytreatmentcentersofcalifornia.com