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Anxiety can creep up at any time, in any place.
But one small practice can help calm the body and mind, according to experts.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen — psychiatrist, brain imaging specialist and founder of Amen Clinics in California — recommended a simple way to reduce anxiety in a society that is “chronically stressed.”
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“These high levels of cortisol [from stress] really damage your brain and put fat on your belly,” he warned. “So having a stress management program is absolutely critical.”
The easiest approach to reducing anxiety, according to Amen, is diaphragmatic breathing, a deep-breathing technique that fills the belly with air and contracts the diaphragm. (See the video at the top of the article.)
Having a program for stress management is “absolutely critical” in today’s world, Amen said. (iStock)
Below is a breakdown of the breathing pattern.
- Inhale a big breath for four seconds.
- Hold it for a second and a half.
- Breathe out for eight seconds.
- Hold your breath out for another second and a half.
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By taking twice as long to breathe out, it triggers an “automatic relaxation response,” Amen noted.
“It increases something called parasympathetic tone, which is telling your body the opposite of fight or flight … ‘Things are okay, we’re safe. Let’s calm down,’” he said.
Taking twice as long to breathe out than in triggers a relaxation response in the body. (iStock)
In addition to calming the mind, heart rate variability improves significantly with this breathing technique, slowing the heart rate and improving cardiovascular health, according to Amen.
“All told, it’s about 15 seconds, and if you just do that four to six times, you’ll notice that your whole body begins to relax and feel calm,” he said.
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Many people who experience anxiety episodes like panic attacks tend to leave the situation, whether it happens at the grocery store or at a party, Amen noted.
But the expert said that when experiencing a panic attack, it’s best to “never leave” — otherwise, the anxiety will begin to control you.
When experiencing a panic attack, it’s best to “never leave” — otherwise, the anxiety will begin to control you, an expert said. (iStock)
Instead, he recommends staying, breathing deeply and “killing the ANTs,” also known as the “automatic negative thoughts” that come to mind.
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“There’s nowhere in school where people teach us not to believe every stupid thing we think,” he added.
“Whenever you’re sad, mad, nervous or out of control, just write down what you’re thinking and ask yourself, ‘Is that really true?’”