The essence of every Yoga practice is conscious breathing, it is what connects the mind to the body and helps us channel the energy within.
Through the breath we are able to navigate through our consciousness and harness its power to invigorate, focus or relax.
The mind, body, and breath are so intimately connected that they can influence each other. Essentially, your breathing is affected by your thoughts, and your thoughts, movement and physiology can be influenced by your breath.
Meaning that in every Yoga class you don’t just benefit from physical exercise, conscious breathing synergises with your movement to unlock some amazing benefits to the mind and body.
1. Happiness
Those who do a regular Yoga practice report themselves to be happier, calmer and healthier. Real biochemical changes are created through Yoga practice, supporting better physical and mental health.
In his bestselling book The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama wrote “happiness is determined more by one's state of mind than by external events.”
2. Emotional Stability
Focused breathing encourages calm and patience, slowing down those racing thoughts and allowing you to be present in the moment.
It has the powerful effect of lowering levels of inflammation and significantly decreased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).
This is why countless studies have shown that Yoga is incredibly potent for managing stress, anxiety and improving overall mood.
3. Weight Loss
You may not realise how amazing Yoga can be for weight loss!
The physical practice will help you burn calories and reduce excess fat, whilst simultaneously the breath-work will increase levels of leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue that signals the brain to inhibit feelings of hunger, helping you to control cravings.
4. Improved lung function and stamina
Incorporating breathing exercises into your daily routine can dramatically improve your lung capacity and overall lung health.
Not only will it have a positive effect on your fitness, it is especially beneficial for asthmatics, smokers, and those recovering from pneumonia (an after-effect of COVID).
5. Lower blood pressure
We know that high blood pressure increases the risk for some potentially serious health conditions like heart disease and stroke.
In a 2014 study, participants with mild hypertension received anti-hypertensive drugs for 6 weeks. Half the participants also received pranayama training for 6 weeks. By the end of the study, the latter group experienced a greater reduction in blood pressure.
6. Enhances cognitive performance
Yogic breathing boosts the oxygen levels to the brain, sharpening your mental function and unlocking amazing cognitive benefits.
This is known to include an increased ability to focus, a greater capacity for learning, and improvements to memory and recall.
7. Improved sleep quality
The mindfulness that yogic breathing brings can increase melatonin levels and reduce night-time sleep disturbances.
If you have trouble drifting off, then Yin, Nidra and Restorative Yoga practices are great before bedtime, soothing you into a state of deep relaxation, ready to float away into a blissful sleep.
8. Longer life
All of these amazing benefits will contribute towards a healthier and longer life.
However the most powerful benefit, is the proven link between yogic breath work and a reduction in chronic inflammation and cellular ageing.
Since chronic inflammation has also been associated with such deadly diseases as Alzheimer’s, depression, cancer, and heart disease, better breathing may not only change your life but may also save it…
If you would like to learn more about the incredible healing power of the breath, then come along to a yoga class or workshop, where you can learn breathing exercises from our teachers, with proper technique and control.
P.S. Do leave us a comment below 👇 to let us know if you would be interested in us sharing some more content about breathwork with you, including some technique videos from our teachers.
Written by Matt Cresswell and published on Monday 15th March 2021 at 11:30
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