BREATHING

INTRODUCTION TO BREATHING:

Deficiencies and abnormal tendencies deep within can manifest in practicing imbalances. These can be caused by incorrect breathing rhythm, speed, and haphazardness. Most of the respiratory issues create this imbalance. Correct breathing patterns are one of the most effective ways by which many of these problems in children, as well as adults, can be solved! Good breathing habits harness the energies for systematic development of the physique and the psyche. The Respiratory System is a bridge between the conscious and the sub-conscious, voluntary as well as involuntary. By using the voluntary control we can change the involuntary functions.

The purpose of these breathing practices in our daily routine is that it brings all the lobes of the lungs into action for full utilization, normalizes the breathing rate, and makes your breathing uniform, continuous, and rhythmic. The two principles involved in regulating your breathing are:

Increase and decrease in your breathing rate and
Develop awareness of breathing through the movements of the different parts of the body.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BREATHING PATTERN:

When was the last time you remember breathing properly?

Can’t remember?

Not to worry! After all, we are breathing all the time without even thinking about it. However, while our bodies our breathing normally the whole day, most of us are not breathing correctly. One of my clients realized just after the first day of the breathing exercise, that she had actually been breathing very shallow. Which is normal to not realize at first; most of us take short and shallow breaths!

Shallow breathing, over time, can contribute to many health problems including(but not limited to):
Depression
Stress, and
Anxiety

Becoming aware of your breathing through targeted Yoga breathing exercises can help and prevent many of these issues from developing within the body.

STEPS TO NOTICE YOUR BREATHING PATTERN:

It’s very important to first understand your natural breathing pattern. A very simple way to know whether your breathing pattern is to observe if you are:

Breathing slowly, or if you are taking too long to do so
If you are breathing in a short and almost rushed manner
If you are breathing from the upper part of the chest
Whether or not your abdomen moves in a deep, rhythmical motion with each breath.

A very simple exercise to help you focus on breathing is to place one hand on the abdomen and the other on your chest, and focus on simply feeling your breath. Focus on inhaling and exhaling through the nose. As you do so, you may naturally feel the breath begin to slow, become deeper and even feel calm. You can work on breathing while sitting or while lying on your back with your legs straight.

Yoga breathing practices are best learned from a teacher giving oral instructions, so you can relax into the practice and allow your body and mind to settle down and let go. To get the benefits from Yoga breathing, or Pranayama, you will need to set aside a little time for your practice and give yourself some space to relax and settle down.

We need to understand that when our breathing is short and shallow in nature, that means we are using the top part of our chest for breathing, which is the type of breath associated with our fight or flight response. When we breathe in this manner, we are unintentionally sending a signal to our body that it is being threatened. The natural response of the body to such stimuli is to increase the stress and anxiety levels, which we are trying to avoid.
Yoga Therapy, and yoga, in general are some of the few ways that help us become more aware of our breath and to expand our current breathing pattern. The results of these breathing practices are generally deeply relaxing and soothing; it often lifts feelings of depression or erases stress and anxiety. With long-term breathing practice, our breath becomes systematic, rhythmic and uniform and can show real, transformational results for the mind and body.