When you become anxious, exercise too vigorously or even just breathe normally, your brain sends signals to your lungs and the muscles responsible for breathing to speed up or slow your breathing to match your activities, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. When you breathe rapidly of gasp for air, it can sometimes feel as though you cannot get the air you need. By learning to control your breathing, you can help reduce anxiety symptoms, run a little longer and give your body the optimum amount of oxygen it needs.
Step 1
Breathe properly to ensure that your body is getting the oxygen that it needs. Abdominal breathing ensures that you draw in enough oxygen, but it is often ignored for chest breathing only. Place your hand over your belly and recline your body. Breathe in and watch your hand. If it stays stationary, you're only bringing air into your chest, which can be too shallow. Instead, breathe to fill your entire belly with air before expulsion.
Step 2
Create a pattern for your breathing to keep it under control. In running and exercises, this is known as breathing cadence. Breathing cadence can help ensure that your body gets the oxygen it needs while allowing you to focus on the timing and tempo of your breathing to match your method of exercise. For instance, a runner's cadence could be two breaths in for two strides and one breath out for the third stride.
Step 3
Breathe slowly when you feel anxious. Stop what you're doing immediately and sit in a quiet area. Take a moment to breathe in for a count of three and out for a count of three until you can gain control of your breath. This works especially well as preparation for a nerve-wracking speech or when you feel anxious or angry.
Step 4
Exercise more. When you're out of shape, your body, lungs and heart have to work harder to pump oxygen into your muscles for peak performance. You find yourself out of breath when attempting daily activities as simple as walking up a flight of stairs. By incorporating cardiovascular activity into your daily routine, you can help strengthen your heart and lungs so you're not left wheezing when you need to complete physical tasks.
