Public speaking solving nerves and anxiety...starting with the body...

Both in my own personal early experiences and in my extensive research on public speaking - nerves or anxiety or even panic attacks are more common than any other issue...

As the famous London Sunday Times article from 1973 put it after research was published that year, I'm paraphrasing, "People are more afraid of public speaking than death!". Meaning people would rather be in the coffin than standing at a lectern giving the eulogy. (rabbit hole reading)

If the published data is right or wrong it certainly feels like the most common issue stopping people flourish or even attempting this skill. So in this post let's start to break it down and tackle it from one of the various points of view...your body.

There are two key perspectives we can tackle this from your body and your mind, I will avoid the; 'Isn't your body and your mind the same thing?' argument, or 'Where does you mind actually reside?' and focus on let's call it your nervous physiology (body)...

When people are asked about how nerves/anxiety/panic turns up in their body before public speaking they most commonly speak about, increased sweating (insert your own Prince Andrew joke here if you like), a rapid increase in heart rate and changes in breathing typically, faster shallow breaths.

There are a multitude of mid and long-term strategies that can use to positively effect this, but in our impatient times let's start with the quick fixes, i.e. what can you do in the 5 minutes before I hit the stage.

Breathing, unless your having an asthma attack (how to deal with an asthma attack without your inhaler), is the best staring point and generally something we can control through some level of concentration... but where do you start?

You can read and listen to various options but without doubt the most scientifically proven method is The Physiological Sigh Method - so this is where we are going to start..in short it consists of a breathing pattern consisting of two inhales through the nose followed by an extended exhale through the mouth. The first breath though the nose is almost to capacity, followed by one more quick nasal inhale that further pop open the air sacks in the lungs.

One of my favourite podcasters Andrew Huberman explains and demonstrates it clearly here when he was interviewed by Mr 4-hour everything, Tim Ferriss Breathing Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety | Dr. Andrew Huberman on the Physiological Sigh (starts at 1:02)...

Please try this method and give some feedback in comments - you don't have to be about to go onstage in front of 1000+ people, you can be in any stressful circumstance...but TRY IT! (Then please share...)

If you're like me and like to dive into an investigation till 2am, to get to a deeper understanding then we're going to go into the world of stress research and realise that there isn't really a global standard but that HRV or Heart Rate Variability seems to have been accepted as the best proxy, we'll read about sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and loads other other terms I would have ignored at school.

Best starting point for divers:

Jack Feldman as referred to by Dr Andrew Huberman - talks deeper (pun intended) about breathing in this 15min lecture.

Best starting point for deep divers:

Stress and Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature

20min read from the National Library of Medicine