Anxiety attacks, bye. Resilience, hello!
How your breathing can become the unexpected key to mastering stress
I remember driving back from work at 10 PM after a chaotic day. I thought I was done, but just then I was told that there were more lost skates in a dangerous neighborhood downtown. At that moment, I felt an avalanche of anxiety. My vision started to blur, I shouted, hyperventilated, and had to stop the car for fear of crashing. I was paralyzed for 15 minutes trying to regain control. This was one of many anxiety attacks I have experienced. This was one of the strongest early ones I had and it happened during the first months of launching Grin in CDMX and growing 10000X to achieve the goals set by YC.
What happens in your body during a panic or anxiety attack?
Your amygdala, responsible for regulating fear, detects danger and activates your sympathetic nervous system, known as "fight or flight." This releases adrenaline and cortisol, speeding up your heart and breathing. By hyperventilating, you eliminate too much CO2, raising the pH of your blood. This prevents your cells from releasing oxygen effectively (Bohr effect), depriving you of energy to think clearly or move, and freezing you.
Anxiety and stress attacks
If you have ever suffered an anxiety or panic attack, I want you to know that you are not alone: approximately one in eight people will experience them at some point in their lives. While this bodily reaction is natural and designed to protect us in dangerous situations, today we face very different types of stress than our ancestors did. It is essential to recognize when these attacks occur and understand their causes, but above all to develop the resilience needed to face and effectively prevent them.
Why is breathing your best weapon against anxiety?
Breathing is the remote control of your nervous system. If you consciously practice diaphragmatic and slow breathing, you reduce the signals from the amygdala and activate the prefrontal cortex, responsible for thinking, reasoning, and managing emotions. You also activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calmness and relaxation.
Your diaphragm is directly connected to the vagus nerve, essential for relaxing your body. When you inhale, your heart speeds up slightly; when you exhale slowly, your heart slows down, inducing automatic relaxation. This phenomenon is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia, crucial for emotional regulation.
Breathing as a resilience tool
You can not only calm an attack in minutes but also, with constant practice, prevent future episodes. A study conducted with 120 participants examined how different breathing patterns affected their stress management. Half of the participants practiced regular diaphragmatic breathing for two weeks, while the other half maintained their usual routine. The results were surprising: the group that practiced regular breathing showed significantly lower levels of cortisol and reported greater resilience and lower perception of stress compared to the control group.
Coming soon: I will launch my first app specialized in breathing techniques to control anxiety attacks and increase your resilience because I have been there myself. Fully programmed by me, I am very proud to share it with you.
Leave me a comment below and I will give you free access for a month. The launch is just days away!
Note: This article is based on scientific studies and personal experience. I am not a doctor; always consult a mental health professional in case of a crisis.
References and bibliography
Hopkins, S. R., & McKenzie, D. C. (2020). The Bohr effect and hyperventilation. Journal of Applied Physiology, 128(6), 1527-1536.
Kessler, R. C., et al. (2018). Prevalence of panic attacks. World Psychiatry, 17(2), 133-152.
Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V. (2015). Diaphragmatic breathing and emotional regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 547.
Telles, S., & Sharma, S. K. (2023). Breathing and resilience to stress. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17, 145-152.
