The Health Blog

Prolonged or excessively shallow breathing causes a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood. Too much carbon dioxide causes the significant chemical imbalance of the blood called acidosis. Acidosis has far-reaching effects on the metabolism of the body.

As carbon dioxide retention in the blood progresses the degree of metabolic imbalance increases and the symptoms of acidosis become more numerous. The early symptoms are a quickening of the pulse, stomach upsets, heart burn, gas, panic and anxiety attacks, moist warm hands, muscle cramps in neck, shoulder and back, constricted pupils and elevated blood pressure. Severe carbon dioxide retention leads to drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, confusion, tingling and numbness in arms, legs and hands, and tremors. Hallucination, fainting and coma are the severest symptoms of all. Some people experience sleep disturbances.

Although the blood has special buffer substances to neutralise the carbonic acid (retained carbon dioxide in the blood) and the kidneys are also able to neutralise it, the body still relies heavily on the lungs to blow most of it off. This can only be done if we breathe deeply as most of the carbon dioxide sits in the lower lobes of the lungs.

Drugs, especially morphine, Valium and the barbiturates, will also cause carbon dioxide retention. Deep breathing is imperative for those who are being treated with these drugs.

Those whose shallow breathing is the result of stress also have a build-up of lactic acid in the blood. An excess of lactic acid robs the body of its calcium reserves as calcium is needed to neutralise lactic acid. A deficiency in calcium contributes to anxiety. The deep breathing exercises help to reduce the levels of lactic acid as well and are even more successful at this if the mental relaxation exercises are also practised.

Deep breathing helps to maintain a steady, elevated, metabolic rate which helps keep the body weight normal.

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