Yoga Breathing Exercises Defined
As you find out how to calm anxiety, you can certainly use yoga breathing exercises to help you along your path. Yoga breathing, also known as Pranayama, is the art of breath control. It is made up of several different techniques that use breath control to meet the bodies mental and physical health needs. These exercises are simply a way for people to relax themselves in a meditative state in order to reach a balance in their lives. If you have been suffering from panic attacks and overwhelming feelings, these simple yoga breathing exercises can help a lot.
Before getting into the specific techniques used in yoga breathing exercises, you will want to prepare your body and mind for the process. Make sure you are sitting in a comfortable position somewhere where you will not be interrupted. You want to be free from and unnecessary distractions as you complete each exercise. A quiet place outdoors is a perfect setting. To gain the most benefit from each exercise, you will want to be sitting straight up with your spine perfectly upright.
Dirgha Pranayama
This is the first of the yoga breathing exercises that you will learn. Dirgha Pranayama is just long, prolonged breathing. It does not require any special skill. All you need to do is follow the directions listed below and all the technique to calm your anxiety.
Steps to Dirgha Pranayama
- Sit up with your spine straight and close your eyes
- Breathe naturally for a few minutes in this position. This will allow you to clear your mind and release unnecessary tension
- Start to breathe deeply in and out of the nose to release any air that may have been stationary within your respiratory system
- After a few of these deep breathes, exhale from your mouth with the aim to empty your lungs completely. Do not force the air out aggressively. Simply let the air to flow out of your lungs completely on its own.
- Slowly inhale through the nose and fill your lungs with fresh air. Be mindful of the feeling of fullness and completeness.
- Repeat this inhaling and exhaling process several times. Remain in control of your breathing at all times. Be aware of every movement and choice you make.
- After a few repetitions, allow yourself to return to your normal breathing pattern.
- Lie down and continue to breathe normally. Allow yourself to feel the release of all tension and anxiety.
- Once you feel that you are comfortable and free of worry, you may return back to your daily routine. This is the end of the exercise.
Sukha Pranayama
The second of our yoga breathing exercises is Sukha Pranayama, or the easy breath. The intention of this technique is to create a rhythmic, slow and steady breathing pattern. Follow the steps below while teaching yourself how to calm anxiety:
Steps to Sukha Pranayama
- Make sure you’re sitting straight up
- Breathe normally, releasing any built up tension and begin to focus on the process of inhaling and exhaling
- Inhale for a total of 6 seconds, slowly and consistently
- Exhale in the same manner, for a total of 6 seconds
- Repeat this cycle 10 times
- Return to your normal breathing pattern, continuing to allow yourself to relax
- Repeat the cycle again for 10 repetitions
- Lie down and return to your normal breathing pattern for 5 minutes. Use this time to release any leftover anxiety.
- At this point, you should be free from any overwhelming nervousness or anxious feelings. This completes the Sukha Pranayama exercise.
Sukha Purvaka Pranayama
This is the last of the yoga breathing exercises for beginners. Understand how to calm anxiety is all in the technique you use. The Sukha Purvaka Pranayama is a great exercise to use prior to starting more advanced yoga breathing exercises. It is broken up into four stages:
- Inhalation
- Held-In Breath
- Exhalation
- Held-Out Breath
Steps to Sukha Purvaka Pranayama
- Once again, sit straight up with your spine as upright as possible
- Release any tension from your body by breathing normally for a few minutes with your eyes closed
- Inhale through the nose slowly for 6 seconds
- Hold your breath for 6 seconds
- Exhale through the nose slowly for 6 seconds
- Keep your lungs empty for 6 seconds
- Repeat this cycle 10 times
- Relax for a few minutes and allow your body to return to its normal breathing pattern
- Repeat the cycle again for 10 repetitions
- Lie down, relaxing your body and releasing anxiety. Breathe normally for 5 minutes before getting up.
- Your body should be clear and you should be focused. This concludes the Sukha Purvaka Pranayama
With these three yoga breathing exercises, you will be able to clear your body and mind of any problem that is keeping you from performing. These techniques will provide you with focus and insight into why you are experiencing such anxiety. You will learn how to calm anxiety fairly quickly when you are armed with these yoga breathing exercises. Good Luck.
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