Correct breathing in yoga

Breathing plays an important role in yoga and body practices. It gently and beneficially helps to dilate blood vessels, normalize blood circulation, improve the functioning of all organs, and, of course, calm the nervous system. Breathing in yoga is also important when performing asanas – some of them should be done by combining with the right pace of breathing.

Thanks to the breathing techniques you can learn to keep control of their own feelings and emotions, learn to quickly and effectively get rid of anxiety and fear. In addition, through breathing pranayama you can even work through various psychological problems.

Phases of breathing yoga

Breathing in yoga contains three main phases, or three types of breathing:

• Lower breath – at the level of the abdomen;
• Middle breath – at the level of the chest;
• The upper breath – at the level of the clavicles.

If you have started to practice yoga recently, but you have already managed to build a correct technique of performing asanas, it is already possible to begin to master breathing exercises. Start in this case should begin with the lower breathing.

Its peculiarity is that the chest should be motionless – at the moments of inhalation and exhalation consciousness and movement should be concentrated on the abdominal muscles and diaphragm.

Once you have mastered the first meditative asanas, you can proceed to more complex breathing complexes that make up breathing yoga.

During each pranayama exercise, you should monitor your heart rate and determine if there is any heaviness or headache.

Benefits of breathing yoga

Breathing yoga gives many positive results, gently affecting the human body. And it improves not only the body, but also the spirit:

• the volume of the lungs and the degree of their ventilation increases;
• Normalizes the physical condition of the body as a whole and the respiratory system in particular;
• The nervous system calms down;
• normalizes hormonal background;
• vital energy is generated;
• emotions are worked out;
• There is a feeling of calmness and confidence.

Safety precautions when practicing breathing yoga alone

Breathing in yoga requires not only skills, but also knowledge of safety techniques. If you perform exercises uncontrollably and with excessive fanaticism, then instead of benefits, you can cause harm to the body. Immediately it should be noted that breathing yoga classes should be conducted daily, but for beginners, you can set a lighter schedule – every other day.

List of diseases in which breathing pranayama contraindicated: organic lesions of the cardiovascular system, blood diseases, high intracranial pressure, past open surgery. It is better to consult with your doctor, whether you can perform breathing practices.

If you have independently mastered the technique of correct breathing, study videos with detailed recommendations from experienced instructors.

Breathe calmly, discarding all anxious thoughts. Try to relax the body and mind and just breathe, without strain. If during the performance of asanas and breathing exercises appear unpleasant symptoms – dizziness, nausea, yawning or shortness of breath, then you should switch from breathing yoga to meditative asanas (Shavasana).

Mistakes in doing the exercises

The main mistake that beginners make when mastering breathing techniques is an excessive holding of air or lengthening the exhalation. In this case, there is an excessive increase in the depth of breathing, which can lead to depletion of blood carbon dioxide and the emergence of adverse symptoms. If you feel suffocated, you can make the breathing phases shorter.

Practicing breathing yoga at home

When is the best time to practice breathing practices? Since exercises require a quiet environment, it is better to choose the evening time – in addition to the practice itself, you can also replenish your strength and prepare for sleep.

The place for the exercises should be properly prepared: it should be an airy and dimly lit room, and it is advisable to wet clean to minimize the presence of contaminants in the air. Light aroma sticks, turn on calm meditative music and start practicing.