I Think I'm Having a Panic Attack — A 10-Minute Meditation to Feel Calm Again

I Think I'm Having a Panic Attack — A 10-Minute Meditation to Feel Calm Again

If your heart just did something it isn't supposed to do — if you're sat there right now thinking, "I'm having a panic attack" — this episode is for you. For the next ten minutes you don't have to make anything happen, fix this feeling, or force it to go away. You just have to be here. When this feeling shows up again, Anchored is built for exactly this moment: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669 — including a box breathing section where you can build your own breathing rhythm, in Martin's own voice, not an AI-generated one.

Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, today's episode uses extended exhale breathing — simply making the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath, no counting required — before working through why a racing heart becomes frightening in the first place: fear draws attention, attention creates more fear, and the watching becomes its own loop. A single, fully-developed wave metaphor carries the episode's therapeutic heart — you are not the wave, you are the sea underneath it, steady long after the wave has gone.

⏱️ Time Chapters

* 00:00 – Cold open: if your heart just did something it isn't supposed to do

* 00:53 – Channel open & Anchored

* 01:41 – Breathing: extended exhale breathing

* 02:59 – The loop: why a racing heart becomes frightening

* 03:41 – The wave

* 04:40 – Sensory grounding

* 05:22 – Today's Gentle Affirmations

* 06:45 – Affirmations, second pass

* 08:00 – Three Daily Caring Tips

* 08:52 – Coming back, stretch and open your eyes

* 09:37 – Outro & be kind

🌿 Today's Gentle Affirmations

Let these words land:

I do not have to fight every sensation.

I can let this wave move through me.

I do not have to know what happens next.

I am allowed to feel frightened without becoming frightened of the fear itself.

I can breathe gently and let myself settle.

I can be here, one breath at a time.

And once more, the one worth keeping: I can stay with this moment.

💡 3 Daily Caring Tips

1. **Learn the pattern while you're calm** — Learn one simple breathing pattern while you're calm, so it's already familiar to you if anxiety rises.

2. **Notice without catastrophising** — When you notice the very first sign of panic, try not to interpret it as a catastrophe straight away — just notice it, and nothing more.

3. **Let it be finished** — After it passes, try not to spend the next few hours going back over every sensation asking what if it happens again. Let it be finished when it's finished.

📱 Take Calming Anxiety With You Anywhere

If this feeling comes back later, download Anchored on iOS. Access over 3,000 searchable, offline-ready audio sessions, a box breathing section where you can build your own breathing rhythm, sleep stories with Books at Bedtime, and built-in nightlight features for the small hours — all in Martin's own voice.

👉 [Download Anchored on the App Store Today](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669)

Please do share this episode with a friend or colleague who may need it too — and a 30-second rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps more people find this when they need it most.

…be kind.

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Music: All music by Chris Collins

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Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.