Hyperventilation Syndrome (Rev Ed) by Dinah Bradley

Author:Dinah Bradley [Dinah Bradley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781869797775
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2012-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

PART 2

THE BETTER BREATHING PLAN

6 THE BETTER BREATHING PLAN: B BREATHING RETRAINING

‘The most crucial step was to start a daily practice. No big deal — just five minutes of breathing down into my belly, concentrating on the exhale, embracing the stillness before the inhale. It was ridiculously hard at first. Then it became as effortless and essential as a morning pee. Five minutes soon s lipped into 10 then 20 minutes.’ JENNY, 54

For people with chronic hyperventilation and disordered breathing patterns, restoring a normal breathing pattern takes a great deal of patience and concentration, as well as regular practice. Some are able to switch easily back to normal breathing, while others may take months, sometimes up to a year, to be free of symptoms. It may be uncomfortable at first, but using conscious effort to restore your natural unconscious pattern enables the respiratory control centres in your brain to reset from overdrive back to normal.

The following simple techniques will help turn you into a good breather, although you may need extra help. A session with a respiratory physiotherapist is a good way to check out any musculo-skeletal or postural problems that may have developed, and to cover coping strategies for stress and tension. It’s much easier to learn from a hands-on assessment.

The four basic steps in breathing retraining are:

becoming aware of faulty breathing patterns

learning low, slow nose-breathing

learning to relax the upper chest and shoulders

restoring normal breathing volumes and rates (10–14 breaths per minute)

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