wind
Breathinghigh reliabilitysubtle

Held Breath/Breathing Pause

Temporary suspension of breathing, often indicating tension or anticipation.

AnxietyFearAnticipationStress

Visual Description

Chest still, may be visible tension, stillness in body.

Duration: briefVisibility: subtle

How to Observe

  • Hard to observe in real-time
  • Look for overall stillness
  • Note what preceded breath hold

Context Matters

  • Freeze response component
  • Common when surprised or scared
  • May precede important statement
  • Often unconscious

Common Misinterpretations

  • May be listening carefully
  • Could be swallowing
  • Note context

Quick Info

Primary Signal
Anxiety
Body Region
windBreathing
Reliability
high
Duration

brief

Visibility

subtle

Related Cues

Associated Emotions

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