How does yoga help us combat stress? Practicing yoga asana (exercises) and yoga pranayama (breathing) helps us relieve stress not only on a physical level, but also on a mental and psychological level. The harmony between all of this is very important. Correct breathing with yoga exercises teaches us to breathe deeply and use the full capacity of the lungs.
First you should warm up. To do this, use the sun salutation. Repeat 3-4 times and then sit cross-legged on the floor. Those who are more flexible can also sit in the lotus position. This is the classic way of sitting in pranayama. This is the name given to consciously regulating breathing, ie breathing with a certain duration, pace and rhythm.
Correct breathing with yoga exercises - the lotus position as the starting position
To assume the lotus position, first warm up to the “butterfly.” To do this, sit on the floor and bend your legs to the side so that the soles of your feet touch each other. The knees are at your sides. Raise and lower your knees. Repeat 50 times.
Then stretch your legs forward and to the side. Bend your right leg and place your foot on the thigh of your left leg. Now pull your left leg towards you. If you keep it under the right thigh, the pose is called “half lotus.” This is easier. However, if you place your foot on your right thigh, you are in the classic “lotus position”. It is one of the most difficult poses. If you have difficulty, it is better to stay in the easier pose “half lotus” or in the simple cross-legged position.
During the exercises, your spine should be kept upright and your knees should touch the floor.
Yoga exercises: The complete yoga breathing
Now let's start with full yoga breathing. It consists of three elements: abdominal breathing, chest breathing and clavicle breathing.
Breathe in through your nose. Try breathing into your stomach. In this way the diaphragm is lifted and the heart is massaged. Then you take in the air in the chest area, which causes the chest to expand and finally you breathe in as if you were breathing with your collarbones, i.e. the uppermost part of the chest. All of this happens in one breath. Exhalation is again through the nose and in the same order: stomach, chest, collarbone.
Correct breathing with yoga exercises – regularity is the key to success
Do this exercise for at least 5 minutes a day. Your thoughts should only concentrate on the flow of air as you breathe in and out. During this yoga exercise, all parts of the lungs are filled with air. In order for the air to be properly absorbed into the body, the exercise must be repeated daily. However, the effect is big. Yoga breathing prevents negative psychological states, fatigue, problems with concentration and sleep, etc. It also improves work ability, cleanses the blood and improves its circulation, which in turn stimulates the cells of the skin.
Correct breathing: alternate breathing
Now let's move on to alternate breathing. It leads to a harmony between the intellectual and emotional realms. If repeated regularly, this exercise can prevent possible psychological disorders such as nervousness, worry or restlessness, irritability, etc. For these reasons, alternate breathing is one of the best breathing exercises to combat stress.
Remain in your chosen asana (cross-legged or lotus position). Open the fingers of the right hand and close the index and middle fingers. Close the right nostril with your thumb and the left with your ring and little fingers.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left for 2 seconds.
- Hold your breath by keeping both nostrils closed for 8 seconds.
- Exhale through the right nostril for 4 seconds, closing the left one with your ring and little fingers.
- Inhale through the right nostril for 2 seconds while keeping the left one closed.
- Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 8 seconds.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through the left for 4 seconds.
This is a series. Do three series. If you feel dizzy while doing this, breathe in and out normally a few times between sets or stop the exercise for a while.
Correct breathing with yoga exercises - relaxation at the end of the exercises
At the end, lie on your back to relax. This means letting every part of your body loosen and relax and think of something beautiful and positive. When your muscles are relaxed, your mind can also relax. The legs must be slightly apart and the palms of the hands should face the ceiling. Focus on breathing and relaxing each body part.
RelaxMove your body from bottom to top
Start from the bottom and work your way up. Focus your thoughts on the toes of the right leg. Pull them together and release them again. Then loosen the entire sole of the foot, heel, ankle, calf, knee and thigh. The right leg becomes so heavy and relaxed. Repeat the same with the left leg until both feel so heavy that you don't want to lift them off the floor. Relax your buttocks by briefly tensing the muscles and then releasing them again.
Do the same with your abdominal muscles. Tense them and relax them again. Then relax your chest and ribcage. Breathe calmly and freely. Mentally follow the spine up to the neck. The entire spine must be relaxed. Next come the arms. As with the legs, start with your finger and gradually work your way up to your shoulders - first one arm, then the other. If you find it easier, you can clench your hands into a fist and then relax them.
Continue with the neck, chin, lips and nose. Relax the cheeks so that they feel heavy and as if they are falling to the sides. Don't forget your eyelids either. The forehead must feel comfortably stretched, it must not be wrinkled and tense. Your thoughts should also be calm.
Yoga exercises: Don't forget to breathe while relaxing!
Breathe in and out slowly and deeply. Relax more and more with every breath.
This waybest way to get rid of stress, as the entire organism rests. Stay in this phase as long as you want, but not less than 5 minutes. Just a few minutes of complete relaxation reduces restlessness and tiredness more than many hours of restless sleep.
Don't forget to think of something positive. Enjoy the effect of the breathing exercises you did before. Before you get up, stretch and you will most likely yawn. By breathing correctly with yoga exercises, you will definitely feel more relaxed and in a better mood.
