Vinita Alvares Fernandes enlists the reasons why breathwork has become a key practice in stress management and your overall well being
Do you know —
- When dealing with a stressful situation and managing to manoeuver yourself through it you often take a deep breath and let out a strong exhalation, it’s called ‘a sigh of relief’. You are actually releasing carbon dioxide from your body and automatically changing the biochemistry in your brain.
- Ever so often when I am stressed or even just exhausted, I tell myself to take a deep breathe sometimes multiple breaths and it’s probably the best advice you can give yourself for that moment. While all this comes ever so naturally to the human mind, there is a science behind your breathing, your breathing patterns and how different patterns affect your body in different ways.
- Breath work is the foundation for stress management, even though we breathe all the time, the way in which we breathe makes all the difference. Broadly speaking we have shallow breaths and deep breaths. When we are under stress of any kind, the brain turns on the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) it is this system that governs the flight, fight or freeze response. If you bring your attention to your feelings you will notice your shoulders are tense, your blood pressure increases or your stomach feels queasy these are signs that your SNS is activated. On the other hand, you have the counter part the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) the system that sends your body into rest and digest response and calms’ the body.
The Science —
Breath techniques or breath work can influence the entire body, especially the nervous system-
Some researched techniques of breath work are —
Diaphragmatic breathing — is a deep breathing exercise that fully engages the diaphragm and increases the efficiency of the lungs. The diaphragm is a large muscle that sits below the lungs; it expands and contracts with breaths, normal breathing does not use the full capacity of the lungs as diaphragmatic breathing does.
FACT FILE: According to the encyclopedia of clinical Neuropsychology, a process called Thalamic gating, is when the executive functions of the brain get turned off to aid in escaping danger, these functions may also be deactivated by diaphragmatic breathing which is a where a switch from SNS to PNS can be experienced.
Clarity breath work — A technique developed by Ashanna Solaris and Dana Delong (Dharma Devi), is a gentle, safe and profound tool for healing and transformation on all levels;
Physically (increase the available energy in the physical body),
Mentally (improves the clarity of the mind),
Emotionally (releases of blocked emotional energy),
Spiritually (gently uplifts the spirit)
It uses the ancient practice of circular, connected breathing that has been utilized in many cultures around the world for thousands of years, for healing and attaining higher states of consciousness. (Claritybreathwork.com)
Holotropic breathing — the word holotropic comes from Greek words ‘holo’ (whole) and ‘trepein’ (moving forward) so ‘moving toward wholeness’. The process combines accelerated breathing with evocative music in a special set and setting. Eyes closed, lying on a mat, each person uses their own breath and the music in the room to enter a non-ordinary state of consciousness to bring inner healing. (Holotropicbreathwork.com)
It is intense, so medical advice is imperative especially for people with cardiovascular disease.
Breath work also referred to as ‘interventions’ breathing techniques, or breathing rehabilitation according to Yogapedia ‘it encompasses a range of breathing exercises designed to enhance physical, spiritual, and mental health. It’s therapy for the Mind and Body.’
Here are a few breathing tips for beginners —
START SLOW- your nervous system needs conditioning.
FILL AND EMPTY YOUR ABDOMEN- Place your hand on your belly to feel the in-out movement.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT BEING WRONG- it’s the most basic inhale-exhale, just do it deep.
RESONATE WITH THE PRACTICE YOU CHOOSE- the ultimate goal is to activate the PNS. Choose what you like, this way you will be consistent.
Now this is what you are waiting for, a few practices for beginners —
● Diaphragm breathing or Dirga Pranayama—
A Yoga practice, Hindu in origin, pranayama is the type of breathing, which refers to slow, deep breathing.
How to do it: This type of breathing can be performed sitting up or lying on your back.
Start with your hands resting on your belly, just below the navel.
Then move one hand over your ribs and the other hand on your belly.
Finally move the hand that was on your ribs to your upper chest while the other hand stays on the belly.
As you breathe in, feel your belly expand like a balloon and as you exhale feel your belly soften and sink toward your spine. Accordingly watch the expanding and contracting of your ribs and upper chest. 5-10 reps at each level are enough. Over time your limbic brain will begin to respond to your mindfulness and breath.
● Box breathing or Sama Vritti Pranayama with Antara Kumbhaka and Bahya Kumbhaka —
Is basically intermittent breath retention.
How to do it: Kumbhaka pranayamas are a type of breathing exercise in which you hold your breath after inhaling and exhaling. Holding air in the lungs after inhaling is called antara (inner) kumbhaka, and momentarily holding the breath after exhaling is called bahya (outer) kumbhaka.
4-7-8 breathing, is a type of intermittent breath retention.
Sit in a relaxed position, exhale fully to empty your lungs and begin the practice. With your mouth closed inhale through your nose for the count of four filling your belly, hold your breath to the count of seven, and exhale through your mouth to a count of eight. Repeat 5-10 times.
● Alternate-Nostril Yoga Breathing (ANYB) or Nadi Shodhana Pranayama —
Is controlled breathing, a yoga practice translated as ‘channel purifying’.
How to do it: In this practice, you will breathe through just one nostril at a time. No breath will come in or out of your mouth.
Sit comfortably and rest your right hand on your knee. Use your left thumb to gently close your left nostril. Inhale slowly through the right nostril, then take your thumb off your left nostril and close the right nostril with your ring finger.
Hold your breath for a moment then exhale through the now open left nostril.
Breathe in through the open left nostril, then hold the breath and take your ring finger off the right nostril and put the thumb back on the left nostril. Breathe out the right nostril.
Repeat this on each nostril 5 to 10 times.
● Ocean Sounding Breath or Ujjayi Pranayama —
Is audible breath. Audible breath, Sanskrit for “victorious breath,” ujjayi is another pranayama (yoga breathing) technique. Ujjayi generates a “haaa” sound on exhalation.
How to do it: While sitting up, according Inhale through your nose. As you slowly exhale, contract your throat and make a gentle “haaaa” ocean sound. If you’re a beginner, it’s easier to make the sound while exhaling with your mouth open. A helpful body cue for this is to imagine using your breath to fog up a window.
As you become advanced, try exhaling without opening the mouth.
Repeat until you feel relaxed.
- Laughter Yoga or Hasyayoga —
Intentional, manufactured laughter as ‘laughter is the best medicine’,
How to do it: You could simply start spontaneously laughing, smiling, and clapping to get the benefits of this practice. For an intentional approach, stand erect with a smile on your face, while exhaling say ‘ho ho ho’ then inhale and while exhaling say ‘ha ha ha’.
Repeat that three times. After the last ‘ha ha ha’, put both arms above your head and exclaim pelt out any combination to bring on laughter.
Finally —
Research shows a variety of health and wellness benefits and quality of life improvements that intentional breathing (including diaphragmatic breathing, yogic breathing, and other breathing exercises) may provide for people experiencing health issues.
For eons of time yogis, saints and sages alike have expounded on the power and importance of the breath to bring us to greater awareness and presence. Up to 70% of body waste is eliminated through breathing, purifying and cleansing us at all levels.
Breath work is one of the purest and most effective techniques to release stress and tension bringing awareness and resolution to past trauma trapped in the physical body. Thus making way for our own internal healing energy and return to a deeper sense of calm and wholeness.
