Breathe in…breathe out…
Breathing is a core element of a yoga practice and what sets yoga apart from other types of exercise.
Breathing involuntarily like we do everyday is very different from how you breathe in yoga; this practice is referred to as pranayama.
Here are 5 important ways pranayama can help you:
- Stress Reduction: Recent studies show that regularly practicing breathing exercises contributes to reducing cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress. Pranayama activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response, promoting relaxation and reducing stress, and decreased anxiety.
- Reduce high blood pressure: Breathing techniques show benefits to manage high blood pressure (hypertension) by reducing heart rate and decreasing both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Studies suggest that pranayama can help calm the nervous system, leading to a decrease in sympathetic activity and an increase in parasympathetic activity, which can lower blood pressure.
- Improve lung function: Pranayama exercises, especially those involving deep and controlled breathing, help train the muscles used for inhalation and exhalation strengthen muscles and training them to be more efficient. By fully engaging the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, pranayama techniques improve the volume of air that can be inhaled and exhaled, effectively increasing lung capacity. This method also helps to improve shallow breathing and reverse breathing patterns. Pranayama techniques help reduce inflammation in the airways, potentially improving airflow and making it easier to breathe.
- Improve Sleep: Practicing pranayama before bed helps individuals fall asleep faster and improve the duration of deep sleep cycles. Studies have shown that pranayama can reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality. Deep breathing can help regulate sleep patterns and improve sleep quality overall.
- Enhanced Mental Clarity: Pranayama breathing techniques help improve concentration and sharpening of memory. Pranayama helps stimulate the cerebral cortex and other parts of the brain, which help in attention, memory, awareness, and consciousness. Yoga asana, meditation techniques, and different breathing techniques help improve the brain’s activity and the volume of grey matter in the amygdala and activate the frontal cortex. Pranayama helps increase the capacity of the brain by giving it more oxygen.
Struggle with lung related issues, shortness of breath, or another breath related pathology?
We are educated on how and why to use a breathing technique to best suit to your needs!
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