Anxiety is your body's response to stressful situations, whether you like it or not.
I personally never understood why my body would be stock in fear while in a conversation with my friends. It didn't make sense.
However, the perception of danger is well-rooted in our genetics.
Imagine you are in front of a wild animal. You need to be alert and perhaps to defend yourself. Close your fists take in a quick, deep breath without thinking.
Notice that your body automatically pulls in when you are breathing in and pushes out slightly when you exhale.
When in danger, the body automatically does a Reversed Breath. This allows you to transform your energy into physical action.
Reverse Breath: Breathing in while abdomen pulled in. Breathing out while abdomen out.
If you keep reverse breathing for extended periods of time it starts to affect your body's natural balance.
It is like pressing the accelerator pedal of your car without releasing the clutch, thus wasting fuel. For your body, it means it is ready to fight without really fighting and thus wasting energy.
To stop this automatic response you need to do a Normal Breath.
Normal Breath: Breathing in while abdomen out. Breathing out while abdomen slightly in.
While taking a normal breath your chest does not move, just your belly. The breathing cycle should not require excessive force but it should fill your lung up to 80% of your maximum capacity. To fill your longs 100% of their capacity requires effort, and it is not natural. In the same way at the end of the breath, you empty your lungs up to 20% of their capacity, more would require extra effort and it is not natural.
Practicing Normal Breathe while relaxed, helps you to strengthen your ability to affect your body, and be more conscious of it. Then, in moments of uncertainty or stress, you can keep your focus on making sure you do Normal Breath. This will decrease the anxiety immediately.
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