Breathe, Homie.
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Many of us, especially those who spend a lot of time sitting, develop shallow breathing. This can accelerate with anxiety.
A long time ago, NPP sent us her breathing triangle. It was really neat. I still have it, but am having trouble downloading. Here, for your good health, is another iteration. Please wait for it to download completely before you start; otherwise it will take too long and you will turn blue and pass out, which is not recommended in the cultivation of healthy breath.
"The idea," the website says, "is to breathe in as the shapes expand, then out as they fold down (or vice-versa), for about five seconds each."
https://www.self.com/story/this-calming-gif-can-help-you-handle-stress -
@catseye3 actually, the importance of deep breaths is understated. With shallow breathing, parts of your lung that are dependent (ie, down low) tend to collapse - not in a dangerous way, but small airways and alveoli close off, leaving those parts unaerated. It's what's called "microatelectasis." If that part of the lung isn't being ventilated, the blood flow to that part will be redirected to the aerated parts.
No blood flow and no oxygenation is a setup for pneumonitis.
This is why deep breathing and coughing are encouraged after surgery.
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Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground
Long you live and high you fly
Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be
Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When at last the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
Long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
Race towards an early grave
