Breathing for Panic Attacks: A Guide to Relief and Resilience

Panic attacks affect millions of people worldwide, causing sudden and intense bouts of fear that can be both frightening and debilitating. In the United States alone, up to 11% of people experience a panic attack each year, with approximately 2% to 3% developing panic disorder. For those who suffer from these attacks, finding effective methods to manage and reduce their frequency is crucial. One scientifically supported approach involves leveraging controlled breathing techniques to mitigate and even prevent panic attacks. And Oxa’s new Panic Resilience guided breathing program is dedicated to just that – helping individuals build long-term resilience against panic events.

What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is an acute episode of intense fear or discomfort that typically peaks within 10 minutes and can last up to an hour. Symptoms include chest pain, racing heart, difficulty breathing, trembling, chills, nausea, sweating, tingling sensations, and a fear of losing control or dying. These attacks can occur without warning and are often not linked to any specific trigger, making them particularly distressing.

Some researchers believe that panic attacks can have a genetic component, with certain individuals inheriting a predisposition to panic disorders, meaning you may inherit a tendency to experience them. This can affect chemicals in the brain, like serotonin and norepinephrine, which control mood and anxiety. Other experts believe panic attacks happen when people misunderstand normal body sensations. For example, feeling a slight increase in heart rate might be mistaken for a heart attack, causing more anxiety and triggering a panic attack. Major life changes or traumatic events can also lead to panic attacks because ongoing stress makes the brain more alert to perceived threats, causing an overreaction.

However, respiratory theories are becoming more and more compelling, with a growing body of evidence suggesting that panic attacks are closely linked to breathing abnormalities. For many people, panic attacks are associated with an over-sensitive breathing control center in the brain. When feeling out of breath due to high stress, which oftentimes is a false feeling, people start overbreathing which actually worsens their symptoms. This lowers CO2 levels tremendously, leading to dizziness and poor oxygen transport. 

The good news is that the growing evidence shows that learning proper breathing techniques and training one’s CO2 tolerance can not only help manage panic attack episodes but also prevent them from reentering your life in the long run.

Get to know about: Breathwork for Better Sleep: How Resonance Breathing Can Transform Your Nights

Long-Term Solution to Combat Panic Attacks

Based on the recent studies, to manage and reduce the occurrence of panic attacks, incorporating slow, controlled breathing techniques is essential. These techniques help break the cycle of over-breathing and hyperventilation, promoting a state of calm and improving the body's tolerance to the sensation of breathlessness.

1. Slow, Controlled Breathing: Practicing slow and deep breathing can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which counters the SNS's "fight or flight" response. This shift can reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and bring about a sense of calm.
2. Building Breath Tolerance: Training to improve your tolerance to feeling out of breath is crucial. This involves gradual exposure to the sensation of breathlessness in a controlled and safe environment, which helps desensitize the body's stress response over time.
3. Evidence-Based Techniques: Numerous studies support the efficacy of breath control training in reducing panic attacks. For instance, research has shown that breath holding, air hunger training and slow breathing altogether reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks

The Science Behind the Oxa Panic Relief Program

Based on this knowledge, The Oxa Panic Resilience Program is designed to offer more than just immediate relief from panic attacks; it aims to build long-term resilience against panic events. This program is based on solid scientific research showing that panic attacks are often linked to an over-sensitive breathing control center in the brain. High stress can create a false feeling of being out of breath, leading to rapid, shallow breathing, which decreases CO2 levels in the blood and worsens symptoms. Breaking this vicious cycle requires slow, controlled breathing, and our program focuses on three key aspects of your physiology to achieve this:

1. Efficient Respiratory Function: The program includes training your breathing muscles to be more efficient, helping you breathe more effectively during both calm and stressful situations.
2. Control of Breathing Muscles: By enhancing your ability to manage your breathing, you can maintain control even during high-stress moments, preventing the onset of panic.
3. Tolerance to Air Hunger: The program gradually increases your threshold for the sensation of needing to hyperventilate, which is often triggered by elevated CO2 levels. This training helps reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks.

These elements work together to prevent the intensification of panic triggers that can lead to full-blown attacks. Systematic studies support that improving respiratory function, breathing control, and elevating the hyperventilation threshold significantly reduces panic attacks. We’ve collaborated with experts in breathwork and drawn principles from communities such as free divers, who excel in these areas, to create a comprehensive and effective program. The Oxa Panic Relief Program not only provides immediate relief but also equips you with the skills and resilience needed to manage and reduce panic attacks in the long term.

Also read about: Oxa Podcast. Episode #6. Ben Bidwell: Master Emotional Intelligence with Breathwork

How the Oxa Device Works

The Oxa wearable is specifically designed to help manage panic attacks by providing real-time monitoring and personalized biofeedback to improve your breathing patterns and build resilience.

1. Real-Time Monitoring: Oxa’s real-time feedback helps you immediately adjust your breathing pattern to manage stress and stop a panic episode. That allows you to quickly intervene when you notice early signs of a panic attack.
2. Personalized Biofeedback: The app offers exercises that are customized to your unique physiology, ensuring you breathe at the most effective rate for your body. This personalized approach helps you develop better control over your breathing and gives you a maximum parasympathetic boost which is crucial during high-stress situations.
3. Progress Tracking: The Oxa App also provides long-term tracking of your progress. You can see how your ability to manage anxiety improves over time by monitoring your longest breath hold and other vital metrics. This data-driven approach allows you to fine-tune your breathing practices for the best results.
4. Guided Exercises: The app includes a variety of guided breathing exercises, from beginner to advanced levels. These exercises are designed to help you build efficient respiratory function, control your breathing muscles, and increase your tolerance to air hunger. By following these exercises, you can prevent the sensation of breathlessness that often triggers panic attacks.

Panic attacks can be overwhelming, but with the right techniques and training, you can regain control over your body's response to stress. The Oxa Panic Resilience Program offers a science-backed approach to managing and reducing panic attacks through guided breathing exercises and breath control training.