Even though we inhale and exhale around 20,000* times a day, we are usually unaware of our breath. But by learning more about it, we can tap into a fabulous tool for health and wellbeing.
What is Pranayama?
Definition and origin
Pranayama is one of the world’s oldest recorded breath practices – it originated in India thousands of years ago and has evolved into a popular exercise in today’s modern world to help boost physical and mental health.
Prana means breath, energy, or life force, and Ayama means expansion or control, so in yoga, pranayama is literally control of the breath. Breath is a key part of yoga and links the body to the mind.
By learning how to control the breath in pranayama exercises, we can find ways to create calm (with tranquilising pranayama techniques) or to kick-start our energy (with energising pranayama practices). Check out our blog seven types of pranayama.
Place within yoga
In yoga, Pranayama is the fourth limb in Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga. These are explained in the Yoga Sutras – a classical yogic text. The breath sits between Asana – yoga poses (third limb) and Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses (fifth limb).
Pranayama practice is thought of as a bridge between our external and internal world – as it helps you move from the physical aspects of yoga towards the more subtle inward practices, such as Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), leading to Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and the ultimate goal of Samadhi (enlightenment). Check out our blog about the differences between breath work and meditation.
Science-backed Benefits
There are many physical benefits to doing pranayama breathing exercises – it helps to strengthen the lungs, increases lung capacity, promotes respiratory health, and boosts all the systems of the body, from the circulation to the cardiovascular and endocrine systems.
Mental health benefits include calming and stilling the mind, improving focus, and accessing higher-order cognition and even boosting brain power!
Stress and cortisol reduction
Numerous studies have found soothing pranayama practices, such as Bhramari (buzzing bee breath), to reduce stress levels and improve HRV (Heart Rate Variability) (1). It has also been shown to help reduce the stress hormone, cortisol. In 2021, A study published in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing found that six months of Bhramari Pranayama significantly reduced salivary cortisol levels in adolescents (2)
There are many other studies that link pranayama practices to easing anxiety and lowering stress levels, as it helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the healing state for the body.
Hormonal balance and pranayama for fertility (especially PCOS)
The pranayama practices Nadi Sodhana and Anulom Vilom are forms of alternate nostril breathing, which help to balance the energy systems of the body.
By coming into a state of equilibrium and calm, with tranquilising pranayama techniques, this encourages the body into the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as rest, digest, and nest, as it helps to bring blood supply to the internal organs, supporting fertility.
It is also believed that the calming benefits of pranayama can help ease stress and rebalance the hormones associated with inflammation and infertility, which can lead to reproductive disruption, e.g., Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Improved cardiovascular, respiratory, and sleep health
Taking deep, longer, and slower breaths encourages more oxygen-rich blood to the cells and organs of the body. This promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, boosts lung capacity, and aids the respiratory system.
Breathing is one of the best tools to help improve sleep. A simple pranayama exercise for beginners is breath awareness – training the mind to use the breath as an anchor, so when thoughts arise, notice them, let them go, and then take your awareness back to the breath flowing in and out. You may even like to repeat in your mind, “I am breathing in… I am breathing out…”
Other pranayama techniques, such as Bhramari Breath and Ujjayi, are also known to help induce sleep.
Five common mistakes when practicing pranayama
- Taking too deep a breath or holding the breath for too long. Start slowly and gradually, and if you feel the breath is strained or you feel dizzy or light-headed, then stop immediately.
- Watch what and when you eat! Make sure you practise energising pranayamas such as Kapalabhati and Bellows Breath on an empty stomach or at least 3-4 hours after food.
- Pregnant? Don’t forget you are breathing for two! – Avoid breath retentions (holding the breath in or out) during pregnancy, as you may disturb the oxygen flow to the baby. And Kapalabhati and Bellows Breath are contraindicated due to the deep abdominal massage.
- Watch your posture! Sit or stand upright, with relaxed shoulders, so you can utilise the full capacity of your lungs.
- Don’t rush! Take your time, build up your practice slowly and mindfully.
Pranayama Techniques for Beginners
Diaphragmatic breathing
This is also called Yogic breathing, belly breath, the three-part breath, or Dirga breath. Lots of names for a fairly simple but effective practice!
To do this, sit comfortably, with the spine straight. Take a couple of breaths to begin, and then place your right hand on your lower belly and your left hand at your heart centre.
Take a breath in through the nose – feeling the breath flow all the way to the base of the lungs, so your right hand moves gently outward with the belly, then feel the breath flow into the mid chest and all the way to the upper chest, feeling your left hand rise slightly.
Release the out breath through the nose, feeling the upper chest, then the mid chest, and finally the belly contract as you exhale. Pause before taking around three to five more breaths.
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril)
Sit comfortably, resting your right elbow in your left hand. Then place your middle and index fingers between your eyebrows and hover your right thumb over the right side of your nose and your right ring finger over the left side of your nose.
Then, closing the right nostril with the right thumb, breathe in through the left nostril for four counts, then close the left nostril with the right ring finger, release the thumb, and breathe out through the right nostril for four counts. Breathe in through the right nostril, then close with the thumb and exhale through the left nostril. This is one round. This pranayama helps to balance the hemispheres of the brain and align energy.
Ujjayi (victorious breath)
Sit comfortably, inhale and exhale through the nose, gently drawing the breath up and down the back of the throat so you can hear a slight hissing sound. Focus on stretching out the breath – making it slow, steady, and smooth.
This is a deeply calming breath that can help to lower high blood pressure and encourage restful sleep.
Kapalabhati (with caution for PCOS)
Sit comfortably, take a passive breath in, and then exhale forcibly in short bursts through the nose as you exhale, “pump” your belly towards the spine. Continue for around 20 -30 “bursts” until it feels as if you have released all the air.
Take a breath in and out before continuing, and if you feel dizzy or light-headed at any point, then stop immediately.
This is an energising breath which promotes vitality and clear thinking. Please note that Kapalabhati generates heat within the body, which can aggravate inflammatory conditions such as asthma, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Please avoid if you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or are pregnant. It involves strong abdominal contractions, which can cause strain on the uterine tissues and inflame pelvic congestion. It can also overstimulate the system, so please avoid it if you have anxiety or mental health conditions. If in doubt, see your doctor or healthcare professional.
Posture, mindful breathing, environment
Do some gentle stretches and ensure you have a comfortable posture before you begin your pranayama practice. Make sure your shoulders, jaw, and belly are relaxed to help optimise your breathing capacity.
Always practice in a quiet space and with clean air, free of pollutants and chemicals.
Keep your focus on your breath – use it as a mindfulness tool and enjoy your practice.
When to seek professional guidance
For beginners, pranayama practices can feel challenging or even boring if you aren’t used to them, but it does become easier over time. It’s also a good idea to see a professional yoga teacher or come along to our Thrive Journey live online classes where you can build up your practice under expert guidance.
Expert Tips & Research Insights
A University of Queensland study (Hepburn and MacMahon, 2017) aimed to determine if the participants in a five-week pranayama meditation (yoga breathing) course experienced a degree of stress relief. The course included one 60-minute weekly meditation class focusing on breath awareness. It found that all of the participants in the course reported a decrease in their perceived stress scores, some participants increased their feelings of control over the events in their lives, and others reported an increase in confidence. (6)
In a further study in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (2017), individuals participated in a three-day retreat program during which they learned Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya, which is a yogic practice that includes both deep breathing and meditation techniques. After six weeks of daily practice, participants reported subjectively lower levels of perceived stress and higher levels of general well-being. (7)
Integrating Pranayama Into Fertility Routine
Pranayama is a key part of your fertility practice – you can use it as part of your yoga routine, focusing on the breath during asanas or doing a few rounds of mindful breathing at times of overwhelm or stress.
Focus on calming pranayamas such as Bhramari Breathing and Ujjayi to ensure you are as relaxed as possible for optimum hormonal balance, especially during your fertility window (during ovulation). You may also like to do meditation or journaling after your pranayama practice.
Reader Questions
Q: What does a daily pranayama routine look like?
A: Starting your day with an energising breath, such as Bellows Breath or Kapalabhati, check out our blog on Bellows Breath for benefits and precautions, can help you feel ready for your day and boost vitality.
As the day progresses, you may find it helpful to check in with your breath – noticing if your breath is rapid or slow and using it as a meditative tool to help still the mind and refocus. Check out our blog on the difference between the breath and meditation.
In the evening, you may like to do some tranquilising pranayama techniques to ease yourself into a state of relaxation and help promote restful sleep.
Q: Does it help fertility?
A: Pranayama for fertility, such as Nadi Sodhana and Ujjayi, can ease you into the parasympathetic nervous system, which resets your hormone balance and aids fertility.
Regular practice will help you come into a relaxed state quickly and easily, which will encourage an increase in oxygen intake to the internal organs. The breath is very important in pregnancy as you are breathing for two! Being comfortable with pranayama techniques is a simple way to help you feel relaxed, in tune with your body and baby, and of course, some of the breathing practices are encouraged in labour too (such as deep diaphragmatic breathing and bhramari breath).
References
1: Humming (Simple Bhramari Pranayama) as a Stress Buster: A Holter-Based Study to Analyze Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Parameters During Bhramari, Physical Activity, Emotional Stress, and Sleep.
Trivedi G, Sharma K, Saboo B, Kathirvel S, Konat A, Zapadia V, Prajapati PJ, Benani U, Patel K, Shah S. Cureus. 2023 Apr 13;15(4):e37527. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37527. PMID: 37193427; PMCID: PMC10182780.
2: Effect of six months pranayama training on stress-induced salivary cortisol response among adolescents-randomized controlled study
Panel: K. Maheshkumar, K. Dilara, P. Ravishankar , A. Julius, R. Padmavathi, S. Poonguzhali, V. Venugopal
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830721001476
3: A Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice (Pranayama), on Perceived Stress and General Well-Being. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 2017;22(4):788-797Peterson CT, Bauer SM, Chopra D, Mills PJ, Maturi RK. Effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya,. Doi: 10.1177/2156587217730934
4: Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Pranayama Meditation (Yoga Breathing) for Stress Relief: Is it Beneficial for Teachers?A study by Stevie-Jae Hepburn and Mary MacMahon of the University of Queensland, 2017. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1157091.pdf
5: The Effect of Breathing Exercise on Stress Hormones. Örün D, Karaca S, Arıkan Ş. Cyprus J Med Sci. 2022 Jan 6;6(1):22-27. doi: 10.4274/cjms.2021.2020.2390.
https://cyprusjmedsci.com/articles/the-effect-of-breathing-exercise-on-stress-hormones/cjms.2021.2020.2390
6: Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Pranayama Meditation (Yoga Breathing) for Stress Relief: Is it Beneficial for Teachers? A study by Stevie-Jae Hepburn and Mary MacMahon of the University of Queensland, 2017. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1157091.pdf
7: A Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice (Pranayama), on Perceived Stress and General Well-Being. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 2017;22(4):788-797Peterson CT, Bauer SM, Chopra D, Mills PJ, Maturi RK. Effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya,. Doi: 10.1177/2156587217730934
https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/lung-info/breathing