Four Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief

Pranayama is the practice of breath control. Our breath is the source of our prana, our life force, and our vitality and energy. These four breathing practices will calm the mind and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our rest and digest part of the brain.

The suggestions vary below for how the body should be positioned during these breathing techniques. Ultimately do what feels best for your body. If it is uncomfortable to sit on the floor, sit in a chair or place a blanket, yoga block or cushion underneath your hips and glutes. Take a deep inhale and exhale to help release the tension from the body and begin.

Dirga Pranayama (Three-Part Breath)

Benefits: Builds awareness in the body to feel what is happening internally. Regulates our breathing, reduces stress and anxiety and calms the nervous system.

To practice:

• This pose can be done standing or in a seated position. Start by observing the natural flow of your inhales and exhales without changing anything. On the inhale, start to feel the belly expanding. Once your stomach is full, feel your lungs and ribcage expand as your breath deepens.
• At the top of your breath, feel the air in your nose. Do not stop until you have taken in all the air and then hold for a moment at the top.
• Exhale slowly to reverse the breath. As you exhale, feel the breath moving back down through the ribs and lung towards your belly. Your rib cage should collapse before your stomach contracts.
• Start the process over and repeat for 4-7 rounds.

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breath)

Benefits: Nadi Shodhana, or Alternate Nostril Breath, is a cleansing breath that calms the mind, encourages mental focus and balances the parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system.

To practice:

• In a seated position, start by placing your thumb on your right nostril leaving your left nostril open.
• Inhale through your left nostril. After you breath in, close off your left nostril with your ring and pinky finger.
• Release your thumb and exhale through your right nostril. Reverse sides.
• Keeping your right nostril open and left closed, inhale through your right nostril. Close off your right nostril and release your left nostril and exhale. This is one cycle through.
• Repeat from the beginning for 3-5 rounds of breath.

Bhramari (Bee Breath)

Benefits: Reduces the level of stress and anxiety in the body. Helps the body to calm the mind and reduce feelings of anger and frustration.

To practice:

• This pose is best done seated. Close your ears with your thumb by pushing down on your tragus with medium pressure (the small flap that is over the open space of your ear) and rest your index finger above your brow and let the remaining fingers cover your eyes. (Option is to just cover your tragus with your index fingers).
• On the inhale, breathe through both nostrils and feel your rib cage expanding as air fills your lungs. Pause for a moment at the top.
• Exhale releasing all of the air from your lungs and as you exhale make a humming, or mmmmm, noise. There is no set time for this practice, but it is best done for a minimum of several minutes.

Ujjayi Breath Breath (Hissing, Ocean, Darth Vadar or Conqueror Breath)

Benefits: The Ujjayi breath is very good for stimulating the vagus nerve. It can improve concentration, release tension throughout the body, regulate blood pressure and regulate heating and cooling of the body.

To practice:

• This pose can be done seated or during your yoga practice. With a closed mouth, inhale through the nose that is slightly deeper than your typical breath. As you exhale, constrict the muscles in the back of your throat and breathe out through your nose.
• If this feels uncomfortable in the beginning, try this breath by breathing in through the nose and exhalation through the mouth and creating a HAAAA noise as if you were fogging up a mirror.
• Once comfortable with this, close the mouth and imagine making that same noise on the exhale and breathing out through your nose.

If you have a chance to try one of these breathing practices and find it helpful, leave me a note!