Importance of Breathing Correctly: Pranayama, Deep Breathing and Their Profound Mental, Physical and Spiritual Benefits

No one can live for more than a few minutes without breathing; however, most of the people are unaware about the importance of breathing properly. Improper breathing means you are using only a fraction of the potential respiratory capacity.

Breathing Correctly is

Important for Health

Deep Breathing and Its Significance: Breathing For Health

When you inhale, you take in oxygen in the lungs and it is transported via the bloodstream to every cell within the body. Oxygen is essential for the process of metabolism (i.e. the process wherein the cells breakdown the chemicals in the food to simpler compounds and generate energy). Oxygen rich blood is pumped to all the pars of the body and used in metabolism.

Breathing Correctly Is Very Important

Breath is seen as the outward manifestation of prana or the vital force that flows through your body. By breathing right and exercising control over your breathing, you can control the subtle energies within the body and thus gain full control over your mind.

In yogic breathing exercises (pranayama), the breath is a very important link between our physical and mental aspects. Pranayama strengthens the physical body and calms, clears and steadies our mind. What’s more, pranayama proffers spiritual / pranic benefits as well, helping you attain self realization.

Benefits of Pranayama: Mental and Physical Benefits of Correct Breathing

The benefits of pranayama are overwhelming. Pranayama offers you physical, mental and pranic (spiritual) benefits:

Physical Benefits of Pranayama

Correct breathing comprises of a 3-part movement: first the diaphragm causes the abdomen to expand and fill the lower portion of the lungs. Then, the inter-costal muscles expand and fill the middle portion of the lungs. And finally, the clavicles lift and allow the upper part of the lungs to fill. 

Happiness and Tranquility
with correct breathing

• The chief physical benefit is a rich and adequate supply of oxygen to all the cells of the body, thus generating efficient functioning.
• Metabolic rate is optimal and all the nutrients are assimilated.
• Proper breathing helps your body to get rid of all the noxious wastes effectively and detoxifies the body

Mental Benefits of Pranayama

Your brain needs more oxygen than other organs of the body. Deep breathing has always been recommended for optimal stress management. A lack of oxygen to the brain denotes poor concentration, irritability and reduced control over one’s emotions. 

• Pranayama promises improved concentration and memory and improves attention span.
• It increases the ability to deal with complex and difficult situations, without subjecting your body to stress
• Correct breathing teaches good emotional control and helps reduce anxiety

 Pranic (Spiritual) Benefits of Pranayama and Correct Breathing

 The prana is subtle energy; it flows through the chakras and nadis. The chakras are energy centers that are connected to the nadis or channels through which the subtle energy flows. 

•  When the prana is consciously controlled, it is a powerful vitalizing and rejuvenating force.
• Once you are able to control your prana, it can be manipulated for self development and healing.
• It helps you achieve stillness and tranquility and instills calmness

Effective Treatment for Asthma in Children: Pranayama and Yoga Poses

As per a research paper published in the International Journal of Yoga, pranayama and deep breathing exercises help in improving lung functions, especially when practiced regularly. The study evaluated fifty subjects and observed that individuals, who practiced correct breathing techniques, were found to show higher levels of improvement in Peak expiratory flow rates. Pranayama and Deep breathing exercises are hence very important modalities in the long term treatment plan for Asthma

Asthma is more frequent
in Children

Allergy Asthma: Asthma in Children

Asthma refers to chronic inflammation of the airways, which can be associated with recurring and variable symptoms primarily caused due to obstruction of the air passage. This obstruction is however temporary and reversible in nature. Asthma is often associated with symptoms like shortness of breath and tightness of the chest. In addition wheezing and coughing may also be experienced in some patients.

Though Asthma may affect individuals of all ages, it is more frequently observed among children. Asthma has a higher prevalence in the western and developed countries with seven percent of population of United States and Five percent of the population of United Kingdom affected by the condition.

The factors responsible for asthma include environmental and genetic factors. Allergies to pollen, dust, mite, etc are considered to be prime factors responsible for asthma in children. Family history of asthma plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of the disease in the individual. More and more studies are pointing towards the fact the yoga techniques including deep breathing exercises and pranayama are found to be of greater value in management of asthma.

Yoga Deep Breathing-
Pranayama

Breathing Excercises for Treatment of Asthma: Pranayama Yoga Pose
Pranayama, an important component of the ancient practice of Yoga, has been found to be the most effective form of treatment for asthma, more so, because, it offers long-term and lasting cure.

‘Prana’ is the vital energy or the vital principle, and ‘ayama’ signifies control. Pranayama means breath control. It trains you to breathe in a controlled and regulated manner.

Pranayama plays a vital role in the long term management of asthma. This is how,

• Pranayama increases the body’s vitality and gives an incredible boost to the immune processes, thus reducing the body’s susceptibility to allergens. Conscious breathing augments the amount of oxygen reaching the cells, and provides greater energy, by enhancing the cellular processes.
• Pranayama increases the overall breathing capacity, and decreases the need and dependence on medications and bronchodilators. It offers a healthy way of life, naturally.
• The lung’s power / capacity is enhanced, breathing becomes more relaxed, and an attack of asthma is warded off.

Deep breathing Excercises: Yoga Poses for Treatment of Asthma 
The practice of this Pranayama technique. yields significant benefits to an asthmatic. The Yogi deep breathing opens out the chest and the lungs. It enhances the lung capacity to a significant extent.

Make it a habit to practice this technique, first thing in the morning.

The technique:

• Sit comfortably, either cross-legged on to the floor, or in a straight-backed chair, keeping your spine erect.
• (Remember, that you have to divide your breathing in to 3 phases – abdominal, thoracic, and clavicular, to optimize the amount of oxygen entering in to your lungs.)
• For the first phase, inhale, so that the abdomen expands, next, expand your chest, taking in the air, and lastly, let the top most part of the chest (the clavicles or the collar bones) expand, so that the apices of the lungs get filled up.
• Hold the breath for a few seconds.
• Then exhale, gradually, in the opposite fashion, i.e., let the breath leave the clavicular part first, then the thoracic or the chest is deflated, and then, the abdomen.
• Hold the breath for a few seconds, before starting the second round of Yogi deep breathing.
• Five rounds of the complete breath are recommended.
• It is imperative to ensure that you never forcefully inhale or exhale. That will generate no benefits, and could even be counter productive.

A multi disciplinary approach comprising of deep breathing excercises, dietary modifications and avoidance of allergens can play a crucial role in the management of asthma.