The Paper Bag Technique for Breathing

Paper bags are often used for packed lunches, but they have other uses as well. Some people recommend breathing into a paper bag to help you find relief if you're hyperventilating. The secret behind the paper bag method is this: when you breathe out, you exhale CO2 (carbon dioxide.) The paper bag traps that CO2 and, when you inhale again, the air you're inhaling ---from the bag --- contains more carbon dioxide than fresh air does. This breathing technique helps normalize the amount of CO2 in your bloodstream and fights off hyperventilation.

Instructions

1. Keep a paper bag with you in case you suffer an episode of hyperventilation.

2. Hold the open end of the paper bag up to your mouth and, using your hands, press the opening of the bag around your mouth and push it against your face to make the bag as airtight as possible.

3. Exhale into the paper bag and inhale the air inside the bag. After five to seven minutes, the carbon dioxide levels in your bloodstream should return to normal and the hyperventilation episode should wind down.

4. Call an ambulance or have someone drive you to the emergency room if you can't stop hyperventilating. If the hyperventilation doesn't subside, there may be another medical issue involved.

References

• Dr. Hull: Hyperventilation
• MotherNature.com: Hyperventilation
• Family Education: How to Help During Hyperventilation