Breathwork to deal with with chronic hyperventilation

Chronic hyperventilation manifests itself as an - often unnoticed - increased or accelerated breathing, which can last a long time. In fact, you are continuously breathing more than necessary and more than good for you. Many people breathe too much nowadays, for which stress is often the big culprit. Such dysfunctional breathing causes all kinds of physical and mental challenges, think of headaches, abdominal ache, fatigue, allergies, dizziness, palpitations, muscle pain, and emotional swings. Something that not a lot of people are aware of.

Fortunately, in most cases, there is a solution. Regular calm breathing exercises help to relax and balance the body and to break the pattern of chronic over-breathing.

How can moonbird support this? Read the experience of Yves (62), a care assistant, geriatric nurse, and currently working - partly due to the high work pressure in care - a desk job at the Agency for Care and Health.

I never knew that the right breathing exercises would have such a positive impact on my hyperventilation.

Yves, what hyperventilation symptoms did you experience?

"I had been suffering from chronic hyperventilation for 15 years, probably caused by work-related stress. My general physical health continued to deteriorate due to breathing too much. I suffered from muscle aches, palpitations, anxiety attacks, headaches, and sleeping problems.

After a long period of questioning by my GP, I was finally referred to a psychiatrist. He gave me medication (benzodiazepines, for anxiety and sleeping problems), on which I became dependent. I've been taking them for ten years now and I'm trying to come off, but it's not easy. In the meantime, I visited countless physiotherapists. All of them said that they specialised in breathing techniques, but unfortunately none of them brought any relief.”

Thanks to moonbird, I can now do my breathing exercises with my eyes closed. I completely relax.

How did you discover moonbird?

"At the beginning of this year, I went to see a psychotherapist who guided me in doing heart coherence exercises, mainly using an app on my mobile phone. He also had a moonbird and showed me how the tool worked.

I never knew that the right breathing exercises would have such a positive impact on my hyperventilation. But constantly staring at a screen on a mobile phone, looking at a sphere that goes up and down, or a balloon that inflates and goes off... That was not relaxing. With a moonbird in your hand, it's a lot more pleasant, I discovered. So I decided to buy my first moonbird! Now I can do my breathing exercises with my eyes closed, and I completely relax."

How exactly do you use your moonbird?

"The therapist initially helped me with the settings, as he has a device to measure heart coherence and the ideal breathing frequency for me. But actually, anyone can easily set up their preferred breathing settings themselves, the moonbird app is super easy and simple to use. You can choose different pre-set exercises via the app, and there is also the option to set your own breathing rhythm, entirely according to your personal needs.

I use my moonbird three times a day and one last time just before I go to sleep. I don't have to open my mobile phone to activate moonbird; I can just shake it and my personal favorite exercise starts automatically. After that, I just let it go and fall asleep quickly."

My moonbird has become my best friend, I hope it can make many others happy.

In what way has moonbird helped you?

"I have been using my moonbird for four months now, and my resting nervous system is gradually taking over. I experience less stress, sleep much better, and have little or no heart palpitations. All this also had a positive impact on my relationship with my wife, as I am less tense and have a more positive outlook on life. So she indirectly benefits from my moonbird as well.

My chronic hyperventilation has not completely gone (yet), but I have learned to regain control over my body thanks to doing my breathing exercises. At difficult moments, I am ahead of a possible anxiety attack. I also take moonbird with me on long car trips. When I get nervous in a traffic jam, I take my green device and do a breathing exercise to relax. My moonbird has really become my best friend and I hope that it can make many others happy!”

Are you curious about what breathing with moonbird can do for you? Find out how it works.