One of the best ways to handle any episode of emotional stress is simply to feel the feelings and keep breathing. By changing our breathing we can influence millions of biochemical reactions in our body, producing more relaxing substances such as endorphins and fewer anxiety-producing ones like adrenaline and higher blood acidity. Mindfulness of the breath is so effective that it is common to all meditative and prayer traditions. Modern life has resulted in vast numbers of people who are afflicted by the respiratory equivalent of anorexia. Most people today simply do not breathe in sufficient oxygen for their body's optimal functioning.
Anxiety is a common problem that can effect people of all ages.
Symptoms of anxiety can be acute, as in panic attacks or asthma, or chronic, with a milder and more generalized feeling of nervousness. Acute anxiety attacks can last from a few minutes to 2 hours or longer and produce rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, hyperventilation and all the maladies stemming from hyperventilation including sudden death. Anxiety is often accompanied by an increased heart rate, excessive sweating, dry mouth, a sense of impending doom, dizziness, numbness, and a tendency to hyperventilate or sigh. Acidosis, excessive adrenaline production, and elevated blood levels of lactic acid are a common factor in anxiety attacks. The symptoms of chronic anxiety may sometimes be more subtle and may even go unnoticed.