Shallow breathing and holding your breath are trauma responses.
When you’ve experienced traumatic events, ways to live through them are to either breathe really shallow (which is a “fight or flight” sympathetic shock response) AND/OR to stop breathing and disconnect from your body all together (which is a “freeze” parasympathetic shock response). Your body and nervous system get “stuck” in these shock states (often oscillating between the two) and are always on the lookout for danger.
Start sending your brain and nervous system a regular “signal of safety” by taking slow, deep, conscious breaths throughout the day. Want to exponentiate the effect? Add an intention/affirmation to it such as, “I am safe and filled with peace.” This will slowly help to “re-program” your nervous system to its natural, calm, relaxed state.
Liz Burkholder, NP
Originally posted on my social media (FB & IG) on 8/6/19