Hyperventilation And Downstream Effects

[Magyar]

I am trying to treat a constellation of symptoms that seems to stem from chronic hyperventilation (in myself and two family members).

Here is what I observe:

We tend to mouth-breathe, especially at night. Moreover, our breathing is shallow and propelled mechanically by our neck and shoulder musculature vs deep, diaphragmatic breaths. Sleep is terrible and often interrupted by apnea.

Psychologically, this creates a low-level, 24/7 chronic anxiety and fear-state while physiologically it creates bodywide muscle tension that affects posture, gait, the ability to sit efficiently and quality of sleep. Meaning, our-just-walking-around stress levels are through the roof.

There are types of therapy providers who can sort of recognize this state -- they usually approach it from a different angle or highlight different portions - but in my eyes, it is the same fundamental state of dis-ease.

For example,

PRI - Zone of Apposition

or

Buteyko - What is the Buteyko Breathing Method?

or

Reflex Integration - Retained Primitive Moro Reflex Effect On Development – Intermountain

but these therapies don’t seem to be able to offer truly curative solutions.

For example, they suggest Buteyko-like exercises which may indeed increase CO2 levels temporarily, bring us into a parasympathetic state and offer momentary relief -- but the underlying cause is still left addressed. And can you really re-pattern an involuntary, subcortical activity like breathing?

Or perhaps this is related to histamines? But is it that the histamines are making us hyperventilate or is hyperventilation decreasing histamine tolerance? Chicken-or-egg madness.

My question: how do I treat and solve the true root cause? Has anyone here successfully cured this using Peatarian methods?

 

[Otterbutt]

This is fascinating and I wish there were some more contributions!
I have a mild sleep apnea, as does my mother, that is related to what I think is shallow breathing. Maybe it’s not a bad thing, but as I relax, I don’t breathe diaphragmatically, but in my upper chest and shoulders until it is so thin and shallow it stops. Whatever it is, it is certainly eliminated by my cpap, which is freaking annoying but very much worth using because I fall asleep fast and deeply, and have no more nightmares, which were fairly common pre-cpap. Without it I spend the first 30-45 minutes of sleep per night start startling myself awake until i finally hit some deeper phase of sleep. I’ve never snored or snorted myself awake so don’t believe it’s obstructive, although my palate might be dropping/closing?
For the mouth breathing, have you ever tried mouth taping? Or at least during the day if you find yourself subconsciously doing it? This would be difficult if you have obstructed nasal passages (allergies or deviated septum). Otherwise, you can train yourself not to mouth breathe.

 

[foodandtheworld]

I'm guessing the hyperventilation could have a number of causes, but one forum member here was able to stop it with the help of a guided breathing app:

while practising buteyko I recognized that same pattern you described. after trying a few things best thing for me was breathing along an app like this :
Paced Breathing

it seems that the only important thing for my breathing is that the breathing pattern is regular like for example 5 seconds in 5 seconds out. or 3 sec in 3 sec out.it really doesn't matter as long as the pattern is regular. 30 minutes a day lasts for the whole day. standard rules I used for the practice: effortless pattern, nose breathing of course, no breathing sound.
the app is good because with earplugs you can do it anywhere. sound goes up-breathing in, sound goes down-breathing out. so I used it while working, walking or even playing computer. of course always with a different pattern. no need for airhunger for that. I think doing this while an activity like playing computer is very useful to restore normal breathing.
that worked so good that I forgot about the breathing at all.

 

[cyclops]

Learn how to breath correctly (not shallow, more breathing out then in) and then wear something like a bracelet (or rubber band) on your wrist, that is there just to remind you to breath correctly whenever you see it.

Also the mouth taping helps, you cannot breath through your mouth with it on. Maybe wear the tape during the day when in the house this way you cannot breath through your mouth.

I think once you learn how to breath correctly and then it becomes an automatic habit you'll be doing great.

 

[Amazoniac]

- What is the best definition of the term “hyperventilation”?

 

[Beastmode]

I studied PRI years ago. Took every course they had at the time (6 I believe.) The typical strategy to "reposition" the body for "better" function is to blow up a balloon while in certain positions. The problem with blowing up a balloon is you're blowing out more CO2. A bit of a paradox, from a Peat perspective, but something worth mentioning.

 

[Amazoniac]

- Respiration (physiology) - Wikipedia
- Dead space (physiology) - Wikipedia

Spoiler: Ventilation & Dead Spaces in Respiratory Tract | Nonstop Neuron

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eBDZ-bxDAA

- Abnormal Breathing Patterns | Lane Community College

Spoiler: Figures

Source: the internet.

- Teaching ventilation/perfusion relationships in the lung

- Lung Mechanics - Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Physiology (Lippincott Illustrated Reviews Series)
- Ventilation - Medical Physiology, 3rd Edition

- The human ventilatory response to stress: rate or depth?
- Rapid Shallow Breathing: Causes and Consequences
- Effect of posture on pulmonary dead space in man

 

[Amazoniac]

There's nothing new from what has been posted above, but if you prefer video format, here it is:

Spoiler: The very much alive 'dead space' - Types of the non-respiratory space in the respiratory system | Vivek Sir's Physiology

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ2nLGQG8Vk

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- Dysfunctional breathing: a review of the literature and proposal for classification