https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_the_way_you_breathe_making_you_anxious
So, I realized a year ago that I had been breathing from my upper chest almost completely when I wasn’t doing conscious breathing. I was surprised and realized that my own trauma experience had left an imprint on my breathing patterns when I wasn’t looking. I’ve been practicing more since, those all torso breathes from sinuses to below the belly button breathes. Then I practice belly breaths (Diaphragmatic breathing). Then panting fast then slow then fast in my upper chest followed by sinus breathing and then back to full torso filling breathes. I realized my breathing muscles had, well, frozen defensively, in fear, chronic fear. That fear was over LONG ago but my body still remained vigilant. Now then, watch your breathing and exercise your whole breathing apparatus. And exhale the fear and inhale the power of moving on. So, as a sideline, this morning I woke up with my cat cuddling in my arms, and I was breathing deeply and easily…the first time I’d caught myself breathing deeply when not practicing…I was resting easily. Let me know, drcarolfrancis@gmail.com