Tip 3: Breathing Helps Anxiousness

One key lesson that I’ve learned in my 25 year journey is that when feeling tense or anxious, slowing down and breathing can be a real game changer. There’s a lot of research out there that shows that mindful practices lead to real results. My 3rd tip: The next time you feel anxious or stressed, pause and breathe.

Last Thursday, I had my first (and hopefully my last) root canal. I was pretty nervous. Before the procedure I did some research, it was all very daunting. It seemed inevitable that I would be facing pain and discomfort. I began dreading the appointment. I hate needles and I get a little anxious before dental work. Can anyone relate? 

In preparing for my appointment, I tried my best to keep a positive attitude and looked for strategies to minimize my discomfort.

I decided to focus on mindfulness.

Prior to the procedure, I closed my eyes and breathed to calm my nervous system. During the procedure, I put an earpiece in one ear and listened to my favorite playlist. I challenged myself to test my mindfulness skills by trying to meditate during the procedure (that proved to be overambitious). However, instead of allowing my engineer’s brain to pay attention to what the endodontist was doing, I closed my eyes, tried to relax, and listened to the music.

The procedure was uncomfortable at times and occasionally full-on painful. It turned out that my tooth was extremely sensitive. On two occasions I needed more local anesthesia. Each time I found myself tensing up from the pain, I focused on my breathing. I took deep breaths and tried to use the music to distract me from what was happening in my mouth. Did it make the pain go away? Absolutely not. What it did do was make the pain much more manageable. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped alleviate my anxiousness. At one point, when I heard the dental drill, I reflexively tensed my shoulders and held my breath, I could feel the anxiety building. Once I realized that I was doing this, I forced myself to breathe in and out, over and over again, until I calmed down some. 

A few minutes after the third dose of anesthesia, I stopped feeling real pain. It was just very uncomfortable. I kept my eyes closed, I focused on my breath, and I listened to my music. I must have really relaxed, because the endodontist startled me when she tapped me to check how I was doing. Apparently it was the second time she had asked. I had zoned out. I stayed calm for the remainder of the procedure. Using mindful breathing, I was able to get through the procedure without freaking out, even with pain that was very intense at times.

When have you felt anxious in a situation?

Did you hold your breath? Did you tense your body? Did your anxiousness increase or decrease as you tensed up and held your breath? It’s what most of us reflexively do. Unfortunately it does the opposite of helping the situation, it usually allows the anxiety to escalate.

Pausing and taking a breath can be a game changer in all kinds of situations: when you are nervous about a meeting, when you are about to have a tough conversation, or when you are about to do something really scary, like a root canal. Start noticing when you are tensing from stress. Instead of holding your breath or breathing shallowly, take a moment to reset by pausing and taking a few deep breaths. Mindful breathing can shift how you experience an otherwise unpleasant situation. 

Tip 3 - The next time you feel anxious or stressed, remember to pause and breathe.