Breathing Answers
NB: these pages are about to be completely revised - check back in a few weeks Hyperventilation Q. I would like to know about hyperventilation what are the facts??? can you pass out or faint from hyperventilation???
A. It's a big subject - and will be covered in a future update of this site. Meanwhile, you ask 'can one pass out from it?' In theory yes. In practice it is very rare. Hyperventilation is a form of shallow, sometimes quite rapid, upper chest breathing that results in levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that are too low.
CO2 is your body's natural tranquilliser. If you don't have enough of it you can get some pretty uncomfortable and bizarre symptoms. That is why hyperventilation can be some distressing and confusing.
The quick fix for hyperventilation is to re-breathe carbon dioxide - and the traditional way of doing this is to put a paper bag (not plastic) over your nose and mouth and breathe in and out for a minute or so. This enables you to re-breathe your own carbon dioxide and reduces the symptoms. This is not a cure - it relieves the symptoms until the next time your hyperventilating results in your CO2 levels getting too low. The cure is to re-educate your breathing. Buteyko Breathing is excellent for this but you can use other breathing methods, instead. Check the section on Breathing.
The good news is that a few days of better breathing will significantly reduce the symptoms - stay with this for longer and the symptoms will disappear.
I'm too aware of my breathing! Q. "My problem is on my breathing, whenever I give attention to my breathing pattern (rhythm) I interfere it by holding my breath or helping it by my own conscious. Normally as we all know that respiration is controlled unconsciously with no efforts.
Unfortunately whenever the thought of me controlling it causes that uncomfortable feeling of not breathing properly. Meaning to feel a normal way of breathing. Furthermore the same feeling happens when I speak gasping for some air during my speaking. Please e-mail to tell me more about this to break this habit or condition. Reminder my physical examination is negative. THANKS A. Your habit is not uncommon. As you say you're getting in the way of your own natural breathing rhythm. You mention that your physical condition has been checked as excellent. So I'd suggest that you spend some time getting into the habit of breathing with your diaphragm - using both diaphragmatic breathing and the Buteyko method. Set aside about 10 minutes daily for this. Ease into it gradually... Stage 1: Lie down. Maybe put on some pleasant and slow music, too. Put a cushion under your knees and a smaller one, or a folded towel, under your head. Now for the first 2 or 3 minutes simply relax physically - pay attention to the physical sensations in your arms, hands, feet and legs. During this period ignore the breathing process. Then begin to use feet breathing and, paying much more attention to the imagery on the colours etc. than to the actual breathing, gradually lengthen the out-breath. End of session.
Stage 2: After you've got comfortable with Stage 1 move on to this stage. Same setup - but do feet breathing for a minute or two Then really l-e-n-g-t-h-e-n the out-breath. And imagine exhaling all the air you possibly can. Now h-o-l-d it in this exhaled state - with 'empty' lungs and your tummy drawn is so it feels like it's almost pressing against your backbone. Count slowly as high as you can - till you really have to inhale. Relax and breathe normally for a few cycles. Your breathing may be a little gasping - that's normal. When your breathing returns to normal repeat the long exhale and the holding in the exhaled state. Repeat this cycle a total of about 4-6 times and finish off with Feet Breathing for a few minutes. Finished. Stay at Stage 2 for a few weeks. This should do the trick.
The Breathing pages Important: please read our caution regarding all health-related advice. | 
