Hyperventilation is something that causes panic in not only the victims, but the observers as well. Treating it at the earliest is necessary. Read on to explore tips on how to stop hyperventilation.

How To Stop Hyperventilation

You see a size-zero figure model sizzling on television every day, but never bother about giving her a second look, until the day your husband finds her interesting. For a few days, you try not to surf the said channel out of fear that you will end up seeing that model again. Then are the days of nail-biting, hair chewing, and so on. You remain disturbed till the time you make a plan to get rid of that extra flab on your body. Your next day starts with limejuice and then you march straight into the gym. You choose the hardest of all the cardio exercise, as you are on a mission to show your husband the ‘new you’. You don’t even realize at what speed you have kept the treadmill unless you start over-breathing. This was something that you least expected, but came as a part of the exercise package. Then, you realize that anything overdone can be dangerous, whether it is food or exercise. Hyperventilation or over breathing can also occur due to excitement or anxiety, other than strenuous activities, such as the medical condition, metabolic acidosis. Here are some ways on how to stop hyperventilation.
 
Treating Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation is what you call over-breathing, the condition where your body breathes more than the normal requirement, leading to a decrease in the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. It can be quite a terrifying experience and may even make an individual panic further. However, there are ways in which the problem can be dealt with and controlled. Certain techniques can be undertaken at home, to prevent yourself from hyperventilating. Given here are some basic exercises that you can undertake for the same.
 
Breathing Techniques
You need to take care of the breathing patterns and for that you need to concentrate on your breathing.
  • Breathe through pursed lips, as if you are whistling. You can even close one nostril and breathe through the other.
  • Try to slow your breathe pattern, as in try to take one breath every 5 seconds.
  • Try belly breathing, which will fill your lungs and help slow down your breathing pattern. For the purpose, lie down on the floor, with your knees bent. Keep one hand on your belly, just below the ribs and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath through your nose and as you breathe, allow your belly to go up. This will help your chest to fill up. Exhale through pursed lips and feel the hand coming down. Let the hand push all of the air in the belly, while exhaling.  Repeat this 3-10 times.
 
Paper Bag Trick
  • Cover your nose and mouth using a paper bag. Take 6-12 natural breaths in the paper bag.
  • Now take 6-12 breaths outside the paper bag.
  • Next, try belly breathing.
  • Keep on repeating the steps until hyperventilation stops.
 
Precautions
  • People who suffer from coronary artillery disease, asthma, stroke, deep vein thrombosis etc shouldn’t attempt the paper bag method.
  • Do not use a plastic bag for the purpose.
  • If the condition persists after half an hour or so, call a doctor immediately.

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