I find myself holding my breath a lot.

[Droopy]

I'm not conscious of when I start holding my breath. I just notice after a little while that I've been holding my breath. What's up with that?

[matcom]

1. don't know

but can i have your car? ;)

[Droopy]

3. Please take my car. Now!

It's a 1989 Isuzu p/u. Rust bucket edition. You'd be doing me a favor.

[billyskank]

2. That's wierd

I used to do that sometimes when I was trying to go to sleep after I'd got stoned. I would realise that I hadn't taken a breath for a couple of minutes (I'd been sort of in a trance for that short time) and I'd have to inhale urgently.

I never do it since I stopped smoking. I don't think you have anything to worry about though. For one thing, it's quite impossible to kill yourself by holding your breath!

[Spinzonner]

4. That's questionable

Only the ones that fail can report it

[Droopy]

5. I understand

I just find it sort of disturbing and it's somewhat uncomfortable. I don't smoke dope, btw, or do any other drugs besides those prescribed to me.

[Phillycat]

16. That sounds more like sleep apnea.

But it sounds like you've gotten it under control by stopping smoking pot. Good for you! :)

Edited to add: I did the same thing when I smoked pot. I also had heart palpitations. I never did figure out whether it was physiological or psychological. But I don't really care now, I stopped the drugs and it was the best thing for me.

[Der Blaue Engel]

6. Sounds like anxiety

I've been clenching my jaws together since November 2nd, resulting in severe headaches, dizziness, and nausea. I'm not aware I'm doing it either. Just my latest neurotic anxiety response, as apparently my body has to find a new one to scare me with every time I figure out that I'm actually having anxiety attacks and not dying.

Or maybe it's an unconscious manifestation of the feeling that the other Bushreich shoe is about to drop, but you don't know when. You're literally holding your breath.

(edited to fix mixed metaphors)

[Droopy]

8. I think it very well is an "unconscious manifestation"

I can't think of anything in my conscious life that would make me do that. I was upset about the election outcome, but I'm not afraid of BushCo. They don't cause me anxiety. I'm not feeling anxious about anything. I have some issues with depression right now, though. Maybe it's related to that.

[katmondoo]

9. I have been biting the inside of my lip in my sleep

Last week I was in a lot of pain. I was using ice to numb my lip. It is better today. I really have been feeling the stress. Some days I think I am better off not knowing what the asshole is doing, it never is positive so I do not really need to know.

[Dora]

7. Stress

I do it too.

[Droopy]

11. I actually have a pretty laid back existence

I'm pretty safe as far as money goes, my job is steady and cannot be outsourced. I have no family so there's no stress coming from that angle. The election makes me bummed out, but I'm not really stressing over it. I am suffering from depression right now, though, and I guess there could be some stress coming from there.

[Dora]

14. Laid back is my middle name.

But when I find myself holding my breath, it's usually at a point when I'm feeling some anxiety over something stupid like work, or bills, or other stuff I can easily ignore most of the time. I've found a good walk can help regulate my breathing a lot.

If you're not taking a multi-vitamin, it probably couldn't hurt.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. Did it start in November of 2000 or in early November of this year?

[Droopy]

12. I just noticed it in the past couple of days

But it could have been going on longer than that for all I know.

[2cents]

13. your channeling Lloyd Bridges n/t

[bluetrain]

15. My ex-boyfriend does that...

but he's a junkie.

[jarab]

17. Seriously ??

Some with apnea - which is obviously a sleep disorder - do this in their waking hours. I'm diagnosed, and I've been "catching myself" failing to inhale/exhale while awake for several years. I would suppose the two conditions - awake and asleep - are akin in some manner, at least in my case.
Obviously I would hope this to be a worst case for anyone.
...O...