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- Keep your nose clean: First and foremost, do not breathe in through the mouth, because it dries out the lungs and could initiate shortness of breath, which in turn can cause anxiety and panic. With excessive talking, we have a tendency to bypass the nose when inhaling. Normally, we get our humidification through the nose. If we have a job where we talk a lot, there is a need to rehydrate. Also, waking up in the morning with a dry mouth is also an indication that we breathe through our mouth. Sometimes, we awaken during the night panicked. It can lead to chronic bronchitis and/or reactive airways with excessive secretions that can result in difficulty in expectorating.
- Change bad thoughts to good thoughts: Thinking about situations that you do not have control over, can provoke anxiety. Bad thoughts can change your breathing to a paradoxical pattern which may make you hungry for air, may cause mouth breathing, hyperventilation and may constrict the airways, thus causing shortness of breath.
- Take care of esophageal reflux: An upset stomach can cause lung aspiration, asthma like symptoms and cause anxiety and panic.
- Go to a allergist and get tested for environmental allergies.
- If you awaken panicked, you should go to a sleep MD to be tested for a sleep disorder. You should sleep preferably on left side holding onto a pillow for good breathing control.
- Use controlled breathing during exercise: Remember to breathe through your nose during exercise. To dissipate shortness of breath, you need to force yourself to yawn, which is one the strategies. It will reset the breathing pattern to controlled breathing.