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Before the onset of a panic attack, hyperventilation often occurs. Hyperventilation can be describe as an increase of the volume of air in the lungs. This happens through not only short quick breaths but frequent long deep breaths as well. Subconsciously it is a habit that we don’t even realize we have. Many of us are chronically bad breathers as a result of growing up with breathing conditions such as sinus disorders or asthma.

Whatever the reason, a whole array of symptoms begin to develop once we hit that point of hyperventilation. Uncontrolled hyperventilation can cause, irregular heart beat, shortness of breath anxiety,palpitations,chest pain, Raynaud’s disease and a deadening of fingers and toes. It can destabilize the central nervous system to cause  disturbances of vision, dizziness,and tingling sensations or numbness. It causes exhaustion,muscle tremors, general weakness and sleep disturbance. These symptoms of panic attack hyperventilation are frequently accompanied by tension and anxiety, which in some people may lead to agoraphobia or panic attacks. Sound familiar?

So what happens to us when we hyperventilate? When we breathe our quick, short or long breaths,they lead to an imbalance of the oxygen to carbon dioxide ratio in the blood. The most  important component here is the drop of the carbon dioxide level in the blood. The decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) stimulates nerve cells, which prime the body for action. As CO2 levels continue to fall,this leads to the contraction of the smooth muscle  which constricts blood vessels, particularly those to the heart and brain giving rise to palpitations. Muscle tension is increased and sensitivity and perception heightened, the pain threshold lowered and adrenaline released in the blood.