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Does Anxiety Have An Effect On The Breathing Pattern?
Question: Follow up for you
Since we last spoke, I am going forward with positive thinking, medication, and relaxation therapy. Have had some noticeable changes with breathing. Have one question for you that I have had recently.
When my Mother who had COPD was alive, said that it was to difficult to breathe when lying down so she spent her last years resting in a sitting position.
Here is my question, I notice that when lying down, I breathe more deeply, longer breaths and smoothly than when standing or sitting. I also feel i am getting better inspiration on a nasal breath than open mouth breath.
Since you know of my Anxiety, reflux etc, would you consider this breathing to be related to the issues. Am I focusing on it so much that it affects my breathing.
Since we last spoke, I am going forward with positive thinking, medication, and relaxation therapy. Have had some noticeable changes with breathing. Have one question for you that I have had recently.
When my Mother who had COPD was alive, said that it was to difficult to breathe when lying down so she spent her last years resting in a sitting position.
Here is my question, I notice that when lying down, I breathe more deeply, longer breaths and smoothly than when standing or sitting. I also feel i am getting better inspiration on a nasal breath than open mouth breath.
Since you know of my Anxiety, reflux etc, would you consider this breathing to be related to the issues. Am I focusing on it so much that it affects my breathing.
Brief Answer:
Nasal breathing is good for health.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
And sorry for late reply as I was busy.
It's good that you are thinking positive and improving too.
Position do affect respiration. But in normal individual, respiration is more deep in sitting or standing. It is due to lower position of diaphragm in these positions.
So lungs have more area for expansion.
While in lying down, diaphragm is higher and expansion of lung can be reduced as compare to standing or sitting position.
But no need to worry if you feel good in lying down position.
And nasal respiration is normal and good for health.
So no harm if you are taking breaths through nose.
And yes, you are focusing too much on your breathing. So just relax and be calm.
You will definitely improve.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Nasal breathing is good for health.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
And sorry for late reply as I was busy.
It's good that you are thinking positive and improving too.
Position do affect respiration. But in normal individual, respiration is more deep in sitting or standing. It is due to lower position of diaphragm in these positions.
So lungs have more area for expansion.
While in lying down, diaphragm is higher and expansion of lung can be reduced as compare to standing or sitting position.
But no need to worry if you feel good in lying down position.
And nasal respiration is normal and good for health.
So no harm if you are taking breaths through nose.
And yes, you are focusing too much on your breathing. So just relax and be calm.
You will definitely improve.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I guess I was trying to find out that since my respiration while lying is not impaired, is my breathing while in upright positions affected by the anxiety causing tightness to chest area
Brief Answer:
Anxiety affect respiration in all positions.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Anxiety affects respiration in all positions.
And no need to worry if you feel good in lying down position.
Be relax and calm.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Anxiety affect respiration in all positions.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Anxiety affects respiration in all positions.
And no need to worry if you feel good in lying down position.
Be relax and calm.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
My phone is acting up so not sure if you got my last text. Try again. Besides aging effects, can anxiety and panic cause physical activity to cause breathing to be more short than usual. Things such as climbing stairs. I know I have had a fear of steps for a number of years because I run slightly sob when I get to top. Not sure if the panic or breathing and lungs have anything to do with it
Brief Answer:
Some degree of breathlessness is acceptable on physical activity.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
Honestly speaking, I am not getting what exactly you want to ask.
Actually some degree of breathlessness is acceptable on physical activity like climbing stairs.
So no need to worry much for this.
But the important thing is time taken to resolve the breathlessness after climbing stairs.
So please let me know
1. Do you settle down immediately after climbing stairs?
2. Do you want to ask that panic attacks and anxiety cause breathlessness on climbing?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Some degree of breathlessness is acceptable on physical activity.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
Honestly speaking, I am not getting what exactly you want to ask.
Actually some degree of breathlessness is acceptable on physical activity like climbing stairs.
So no need to worry much for this.
But the important thing is time taken to resolve the breathlessness after climbing stairs.
So please let me know
1. Do you settle down immediately after climbing stairs?
2. Do you want to ask that panic attacks and anxiety cause breathlessness on climbing?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
I know that aging has an effect on breathing and Shortness of Breath. What I was trying to get at was what panic may do to breathing under certain circumstances.
18 years ago i noticed that when i climbed stairways in college buildings to get to some classes and i was in a anxious based hurry to get there, I would be out of breath that seemed to last longer than I liked. Over the years I grew to fear stairways that were quite lengthy and now when I climb stairways I get to the top and am out of breath that takes longer to get back to normal. That climb along with my stomach pressing against the diaphragm seems to limit the amount of air that i have available.
The question is besides aging effects. im curious if panic,anxiety can do physical symptoms or mental symptoms to my issue with stairs.
I dont settle down immediately, the symptoms make me take a few minutes to settle down.
18 years ago i noticed that when i climbed stairways in college buildings to get to some classes and i was in a anxious based hurry to get there, I would be out of breath that seemed to last longer than I liked. Over the years I grew to fear stairways that were quite lengthy and now when I climb stairways I get to the top and am out of breath that takes longer to get back to normal. That climb along with my stomach pressing against the diaphragm seems to limit the amount of air that i have available.
The question is besides aging effects. im curious if panic,anxiety can do physical symptoms or mental symptoms to my issue with stairs.
I dont settle down immediately, the symptoms make me take a few minutes to settle down.
Brief Answer:
Yes, anxiety and panic can aggravate the breathlessness on exertion.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Now I am able to understand your question.
Yes, stress, anxiety and panic can actually worsen the breathlessness caused by physical exertion like climbing stairs.
But no need to fear about climbing stairs due to this longer breathlessness.
Your PFT s are stable over years, so lung disease is excluded.
You need to just overcome this fear of breathlessness.
Have you talked about this fear with your psychiatrist?
Are you doing any relaxation exercises like yoga, pranayam etc?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Yes, anxiety and panic can aggravate the breathlessness on exertion.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Now I am able to understand your question.
Yes, stress, anxiety and panic can actually worsen the breathlessness caused by physical exertion like climbing stairs.
But no need to fear about climbing stairs due to this longer breathlessness.
Your PFT s are stable over years, so lung disease is excluded.
You need to just overcome this fear of breathlessness.
Have you talked about this fear with your psychiatrist?
Are you doing any relaxation exercises like yoga, pranayam etc?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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