Yoga Breathing Techniques to Elevate Your Practice

The casual yoga practitioner, and even many who are more serious about it, often neglect pranayama in favor of asana. Asana is the showy part of yoga, the poses and sequences. Pranayama is the focus on breathing and is just one part of the ancient practice. 

Both poses and breath control are important parts of yoga. For a complete practice and all the mind-body benefits, focus on both. There are several types of yoga breathing techniques to master and to share with students. 

About Yoga Breathing

Pranayama, like other aspects of yoga, is an ancient practice. It is all about controlling the breath, which you can do in several ways. The idea of breath control is to connect the body and the mind. When you combine pranayama with asanas, you get a very powerful body-mind practice with a lot of benefits. 

Breathing is automatic, and most people rarely give it much thought. You just do it. Learning to pay attention to and control breathing can be a challenge initially. It takes practice but can be rewarding when you devote time to breath work. 

Try these gentle stretches to cool down after your next yoga session. 

Benefits of Yoga Breathing Exercises

Whether you do it during asanas or separately, there are many health benefits of pranayama, both physical and mental.

Manage Stress and Anxiety 

Studies show over and over again that focused breathing help reduce anxiety and perceived levels of stress (1, 2). Pranayama calms your nervous system, slowing down breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. All of these effects on the body also benefit the mind and help you feel more relaxed. 

Sleep Better with Yoga Breathing Exercises

Managing stress and anxiety with pranayama can also help you improve your sleep. Studies have looked at breathing exercises in people with sleep disorders, like sleep apnea. One study found that people with sleep apnea had better sleep quality, snored less, and were more alert during the day after practicing breathing techniques (3). 

Strengthen Your Lungs

Some types of yogic breathing can actually improve lung function. Some styles of pranayama involve forceful breaths that strengthen the lungs. This is beneficial for anyone but especially for people with certain respiratory conditions, like asthma or pneumonia. 

Lower Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious and chronic health problem. It is known as a silent killer because it rarely causes symptoms but can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Pranayama practice is proven in studies to lower blood pressure. 

In one study, researchers compared participants on blood pressure medications to a group who used medications and pranayama (4). The pranayama group saw greater reductions in blood pressure. 

You know yoga is good for you, but how often do you need to practice to get results? Find out here. 

5 Yoga Breathing Techniques to Master

With all these great benefits, it’s worth learning and practicing pranayama. The ancient practice of yoga includes several types of breathing exercises. Learn them all to find a technique you like and to help yoga students benefit as well. 

1. Ujjayi

Ujjayi pranayama is the most common breathing exercise in yoga. Also known as victorious breath, it creates a soothing sound often compared to ocean waves. This is a good practice for asanas and when you need to de-stress. 

To practice ujjayi, constrict your throat slightly. This creates a little resistance for each inhale and exhale and forces you to be more aware of each breath. It should sound like a gentle and regular wooshing sound. Once you feel comfortable with breathing this way, do it with your mouth shut. 

2. Nadi Shodhana

This is also called alternate nostril breathing. This type of breath work is especially good unwinding from stress. It should lower your nervous system activity by activating the body’s relaxation response. According to traditional yoga practice, it purifies and unblock energy in the body. 

Start with your right hand in a fist in front of your nose. Use your thumb to close the right nostril and inhale through the left. With your ring finger to close the left nostril, remove your thumb, and exhale out of the right. Inhale through the right nostril, then close it again with the thumb, release your ring finger, and exhale through the left. This is one cycle of nadi shodhana. 

3. Kumbhaka

Use this breath retention practice to energize the body and mind. It boosts oxygenation by expanding the chest and lungs. To do it, simply inhale deeply and hold the air in your lungs for about ten seconds, then inhale a little more. If this is hard to do, build up to ten seconds, doing just a few seconds to start. 

By holding the breath for a period of time, the lungs actually expand more. This allows you to take in that little bit of additional breath, resulting in more oxygen to your heart and other muscles. 

4. Dirgha

Dirgha, or three-part breath, is relaxing and great for coping with anxiety. To do it, inhale to about a third of your full lung capacity. Pause here, holding the breath for a few seconds. Inhale again to about two-thirds capacity, pause, and finally breathe in for a third time, holding the breath for a few seconds. Exhale in the same pattern. Breathe out in three parts, holding at each third. 

Getting the ratio right takes a little practice. You might find that you run out of lung capacity before the final inhale or leave too much capacity at the end. The more you practice it, the easier it gets as you learn how you breathe and what your lungs can hold. 

5. Kapalabhati

Kapalabhati is also called shining skull breath or breath of fire. It is energizing, especially for the mind. Use it when you need to focus, for example, before starting a work project or taking a test. Avoid this technique when you’re feeling stressed or anxious. 

Inhale fully and deeply. Exhale in short, forceful bursts until your lungs are empty. Once you get used to this style of breathing, you can do up to 25 or 30 repetitions in a row. Start slowly, though, and only do a few at once as you get accustomed to it. 

How to Breathe During Asanas

Combining breath work with asanas gives you even more benefits than just going through a sequence of poses. The focus on breath clears your mind and helps you connect more with your body and how it moves and feels. 

Ujjayi is the best pranayama to do with asanas. The other types require more focus and can be too forceful to use while being physically active. These other breathing techniques are best done while sitting or reclining so you can devote all your energy to them. 

Time your exhales for when the body is becoming more compressed, such as during a forward bend. When the chest opens, as in cobra or upward dog poses, inhale. Exhale during twisting movements. 

Yoga breathing is too often overlooked in modern practice. To embrace yoga and its benefits more fully, learn your pranayamas and add them to your practice or classes. 

Learn more about breathing techniques and everything else you need to become an instructor with our Yoga Alliance Approved Yoga Instructor course. Complete it online and prepare to follow your fitness passion.  

References

1. Sharma, V. K., Trakroo, M., Subramaniam, V., Sahai, A., Bhavanani, A. B., & Rajajeyakumar, M. (2013). Effect of fast and slow pranayama on perceived stress and cardiovascular parameters in young health-care students. International Journal of Yoga, 6(2), 104. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.113400 

2. Rain, M., Subramaniam, B., Avti, P., Mahajan, P., & Anand, A. (2021). Can yogic breathing techniques like Simha Kriya and Isha Kriya regulate covid-19-related stress? Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635816 

3. kaur, amrit, & Mitra, M. (2019). Effect of oropharyngeal exercises and pranayama on snoring, daytime sleepiness and quality of sleep in patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Physiotherapists. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.congress-2019.pa577 

4. Lata, H., Goyal, R., Walia, L., & Narula, M. K. (2014). Effect of pranayama on rate pressure product in mild hypertensives. International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research, 4(2), 67. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-516x.136776