Importance Of Pranayama

Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. The goal of pranayama is to strengthen the connection between our body and our mind. All ancient yoga traditions place pranayama after Yoga Asana. Pranayama is difficult, but asana can make it easier. The logic being that you begin with the gross and progress towards the subtle because practice of breathing exercises brings clarity of mind, increases lung capacity, reduces stress and anxiety, and strengthens willpower and inner and outer health.

Pranayama can be practiced in many ways. For instance, one can do them while appearing yoga session. One can also practice them while meditating or on their own.

In case of practicing yoga asanas and pranayama, practice yoga asanas first and then pranayama. After practicing asanas, relax in shavasana before doing pranayama. Should not do any strenuous exercise after pranayama. Remember that always Asanas should support the pranayamas since pranayama acts on a deeper level.

Our breathing mirrors our state. When we are agitated, the breath is rapid and irregular. When we are relaxed, it is deep, slow and even. With the help of asana, we can trigger this relaxed state before getting to pranayama.

Pranayama involves different breathing techniques. Such as :

• Nadishodhana (alternate nostril breathing): Seat comfortably, place your left hand into chin madras (index finger and thumb touching) and your right hand into nashika mudra – bend your index and middle finger, use your thumb, ring and little to gently close your right nostril, close your eyes by relaxing your shoulders, keeping your chin parallel to floor. Inhale through the left nostril in a slow and continuous flow. Exhale through the alternate nostril slowly again inhale through the right and exhale through the left. Practice in the same way for a while.
• Ujjayi (victorious breath) : Seat cross leg with your back straight, both hands into gyan or chin mudra and rest your wrist on your knees, palms up. Exhale completely empting out every last breath of air; now inhale slowly and deeply through both nostril such with the hishing sound of the air is heard loudly. Don’t try to feel your stomach by bloating it. Instead full your stomach back toward your spine and fill your lungs entirely, exhale slowly and stately holding your stomach in for the first 2 seconds, gradually empty out every last beat of air from your lungs and relax.
• Bhramari (female honeybee humming breath): Bhamara means a black bee, during the exhalation of this pramayama the sound produce resembles the buzzing of a black bee. Breathe normally with your mouth closed and teeth slightly apart. Lift your both elbows to solder level and close your ears by pressing down the draggles with your thumb. Place index finger above each eyebrow and shut your eyelash and cover them with each middle finger. Take a slow deep breath to feel your lungs with fresh air. Now breath out thorough the nose by making a humming sound. Try to sustain the humming as long as you can. Repeat this for five to ten times.
• Bastrika (bellows breath) : Seat in Sukhasana, inhale smoothly and rise your hands with open fingers and exhale slowly release down both hands. The breadth and hand movement has to be smooth and co-coordinating. Speed should be maintained as your body allows.

According to science the benefits OF PRANAYAMA

1. Decreases stress
2. Improves sleep quality
3. Increases mindfulness
4. Reduces high blood pressure
5. Improves lung function
6. Enhances cognitive performance

Decreases stress : PRANAYAMA helps to reduce stress and calm our body and mind. Breathing techniques can also enhance our sleep quality and encourage mindfulness. Pranayama is effective in alleviating stress by having our body breathe in more oxygen. There are multiple variations and each one helps cool the mind and alleviate stress. Both anxiety and depression can be cured doing pranayama regularly.

Improves sleep quality : Yoga and Pranayama are an important measure to improve sleep and reduce work place negativity, tension, anxiety and so many other problems. Bhramari pranayama which means “bee breath,” uses a humming sound on the exhale. was shown to slow down breathing and heart rate when practiced for 5 minutes. This may help calm your body for sleep.

Increases mindfulness : pranayama helps to remove carbon dioxide and raises oxygen concentration, which fuels brain cells and also it significantly reduce the levels of anxiety and negative affect, and that these changes are associated with the modulation of activity and connectivity in brain areas involved in emotion processing, attention, and awareness. Thus Pranayama contribute to mindfulness by improving focus and concentration.

Reduces high blood pressure : Pranayama has been shown to influence the cardiovascular system with decrease in heart rate, and blood pressure. While practicing pranayama, all of the mind’s attention is focused on the breathing cycle as a result healing energy is transferred to every part of the body at the same time. The calming effect of exercise reduces mental stress and helps to regulate high blood pressure.

Improves lung function : Pranayama improves overall performance of the body. Performing Pranayama regularly may increases chest wall expansion and almost all lung functions. “Bhastrika Pranayama” is one of the yogic well-regulated breathing exercises that involves the use of lung spaces that are not used up in normal shallow breathing, thereby it may increase the depth of breathing.

Enhances cognitive performance : Both slow and fast kinds of pranayama can help improve your cognitive functions. It’s a powerful tool that stimulates our brain and improve the power of memory. During pranayama the mind focuses on breath and the level of the oxygen also increases in the body as well as in brain by the regulation of breath; it helps in improving concentration and memory.