Ocean Breath For Anxiety

[gone]

Since my Dx six months ago I seem to have forgotten everything I ever knew about yoga. Then today, for unknown reasons, I remembered ocean breath. After months of trembling, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, I started up the old trusty ocean breath and voi-f***ing-la! Symptoms dwindled massively.

I realize this is only one day and tomorrow will doubtless be a whole new universe of terrors, but just in case this breathing technique might help someone else, here's a simple video that explains it. I don't (necessarily) do it around meditation, just whenever my symptoms start taking control of me.

Another name for this breath, which describes it better imo, is Darth Vader breath.

I just do it slow and steady, no hyperventilating, inbreath equal to outbreath.

And apologies to those for whom deep breaths are hard/impossible/triggering.

 

[franciemarnie]

I love when we can work from within to overcome!

 

[Juspeczyk]

@Amne Thank you so much Amne for forwarding this to me. I'm a theatre student so I'm no stranger to breathing exercises but it seems I too have forgotten all the calming and relaxing techniques I've learned. I'll revisit my notes and see if I find anything I can share!

@franciemarnie I too love working from within. I make lots of playlists, and I have been using music to help me cope. When I'm alone and the anxiety hits, I sing along, focus on the words, and let the emotion come out that way. I find that helps relieve tension in my chest. I've been fortunate to have some exposure to vocal training through school and one thing our coach made clear was that air is emotion. And that singing is already a heightened state of emotion (in comparison to acting) and thus more vulnerable. I'm trying to find places and times I'm comfortable singing to help with that release.

I actually made a playlist with lyrics that really help me calm down after a trigger. It amazes me how many songs can be analyzed through the lens of PTSD. Would you want the tracklist?

 

[franciemarnie]

@Juspeczyk - Do leave your track list. I love music beyond measure and I sing along too to process or feel or release stuff. But because I lost my hearing so many years ago, I can only "hear" melodies and lyrics I knew before the loss. My brain's memory fills in what I cannot literally hear anymore (too many frequencies lost). I can't hear most of the music made after the early 1980's. luckily I listened to a zillion songs before then. There are exceptions sometimes depending on the clarity of the recording. I wouldn't be able to hear the first part of Layla now if I had never heard it before but Id be able to hear the piano instrumental.