Are You Breathing Correctly? How to Use Pranayama to Fight Stress and Aging

Research says, stress and emotional upheavals cause a range of diseases and illnesses, and have a deleterious impact on breathing. Alterations in the breathing pattern change the internal chemistry of the body. Consequently, a disturbed environment of the body increases the body’s vulnerability to several lifestyle-related disorders.

Importantly, experts state, breathing with awareness can augment the intake of oxygen and help expel carbon dioxide to a large extent and keep the body functioning optimally.

What is Pranayama?

Pranayama means ‘control of the Prana’, Prana is the vital force of the body and Ayama means control. Thus, pranayama is regulated and controlled breathing.Pranayama offers an array of impressive and important health benefits and even wards off various grave illnesses, easily.

• Pranayama helps you slow down. It helps the body relax and feel composed.
• It instills peace and a sense of well being.
• Pranayama clears out the mind, reduces unwanted clutter, decelerates thought patterns, dispels negative emotions and suffuses complete tranquility.
• Regulated breathing ensures loads of fresh oxygen entering the system and reaching the cells of the body.
• Pranayama prevents and treats respiratory diseases. It increases the lung power and lung capacity considerably. Asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, etc, can be managed efficiently through sustained Pranayama practice.
• Pranayama halts the onslaught of aging. It delays the appearance of the unwanted and undesirable signs associated with aging.
• At a subtle level, the practice of Pranayama purifies the ‘nadis’ or the channels through which the vital force flows, thereby, harmonizing your aura.

Sama Vritti Pranayama (The Equal Breath)

This technique releases stress and helps you develop a good awareness to breath. It balances the mind, and is especially beneficial when you feel apprehensive, worried or tensed.

1. Sit comfortably, either cross legged on the floor or on a chair. Keep the back straight. Relax and become aware of your breath.
2. After a few minutes, include a mental count. Inhale and count 3. Then exhale to the count of 3.
3. Next, make the inhalations and exhalations 4 beats each.
4. Steadily, over a period of time, build up to the count of 8. Importantly, never force the breathing. That would be useless, even destructive.
5. Observe how you feel. Locate the areas of tensions. When you start feeling satisfactorily relaxed and at peace, you can end the practice.

Bhramari (The Humming Bee Breath)

This form of Pranayama calms and stabilizes the emotions. It chases away feelings of anxiety, fear or anger. Constant practice inspires a sense of complete well being and peace.

1. Sit in a relaxed posture. Close your ears gently using the thumbs. Cover the eyes with the other fingers. Keep the face, neck, and shoulders absolutely relaxed.
2. Inhale slowly. Be aware of the lungs, the heart and the head. When you exhale, make a humming sound, like a bee.
3. Now, focus on the humming sound. Feel the vibrations in the face, neck, throat, chest, head and scalp.
4. After 5 rounds, sit quietly for a while.