To recap, here’s what I do, step-by-step:
1. Exhale slowly…
2. Hold my breath and count to 3 or 5… or as long as I can go…
3. Don’t panic.
4. S l o w l y i n h a l e . . .
5. Hold my breath for a little bit, till my panic subsides…
6. Exhale slowly again, and repeat the count to 3 or 5…
7. Keep doing this until I feel my heart slow to a normal rate – usually within a few minutes
If I keep doing that, I can slow my heart rate from pounding a mile a minute, to a regular thump-thump-thump. Sometimes I’ve done it in the space of a few minutes. Sometimes it takes me longer. It’s pretty cool when that happens and all of a sudden, my heart just switches over to a normal steady beat. It feels a little strange and unexpected, but it’s also very reassuring.
I can’t guarantee it will work for everyone, and please don’t take chances with your health and safety if you have cardiac/respiratory issues. See a doctor, if you have a health concern – don’t just take my word for it.
But I do want to share what I’ve learned for others like me. It just might help.
Nowadays, I have far fewer episodes of a racing heart beat than I did before, but I still use this sometimes – and it works for me. Like a charm.