Want to Know about Pranayama?

By | November 30, 2012

When you are in stress, the breathing switches to a fast and shallow pattern because the sympathetic nervous system switches on your “fight or flight” response. This means when you are stressed, your body will send a signal to the brain. As a result, the brain will turn on its survival instinct mode and thereby increases heart rate, blood pressure, and other bodily functions. But if you try to keep your mind calm and maintain a steady pace of breathing, you will notice a big change. Suppose you don’t have any stress, but your survival instinct mode is longer than it should be then it becomes bad for your health. So, that is why correct breathing techniques are necessary.

Pranayama is a Yoga act which actually means a “pause in the movement of breath”. Pranayama exercises mainly focuses on teaching correct breathing techniques. It is practiced through attentiveness and synchronized breathing which is extremely helpful to influence the life force of the body. It is also used to control, cultivate, and modify the Prana in the body. Here in this, correct and controlled breathing is important. The inhale and exhale for a fixed amount of time. The rhythm of inhalation and exhalation changes during the practice of Pranayama. It is vastly useful in resisting the respiratory diseases. Hence various known and unknown disorders can be prevented.

The procedure of doing Pranayama depends on the types of Pranayama you selected for to do. The types of Pranayama are Kapalabhati and Bhastrika, Ujjayi, Nadisodhana Pranayama.

The best time to practice these Pranayama is early in the morning, or at evening. But make sure that you practice in dust free areas. The person should not be constipated and or under any severe physical or mental strain when practicing these exercises.