Prāṇāyāma

Prāṇāyāma are yogic breathing exercises. Consciousness of the breath is an integral part of yoga. Once your awareness is on your breath, you can control it in order to find a more restful state or give yourself a boost. It’s baffling to me while something this simple yet powerful is not taught in the standard school curriculum. Wouldn’t it be amazing if yoga, in all of its facets, would be taught as a dedicated subject in schools?

Breathing exercises are described in various yoga texts, such as the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali.

बह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिः देशकालसङ्ख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥५०॥

bāhyābhyantara-stambha-vṛttiḥ deśa-kāla-saṅkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥

It [prāṇāyāma] manifests as external, internal and restrained movements of breath. These are drawn out and subtle in accordance to place, time and number.

– Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, 2.50

As always, Patañjali masterfully summarizes the whole topic in a few words. I’ll provide some more background and a few breathing exercises for you to try on this page.

Heart rate variability (HRV) resonance breathing

The fact that there is a direct link between the breath and the nervous system - and therefore the brain - has been known for centuries in the yoga tradition. This has also been somewhat known in the west of course: for example, phrases like take a deep breath, breathe in, breathe out are common. However, yoga gives specific practices that have been proven to be very effective. By controlling your breath, you can influence your heart rate and overall mood. This finding has been confirmed by modern science, especially breathing at the resonant frequency has been shown to be highly beneficial.

Heart rate variability (HRV) resonance breathing, or simply resonance frequency breathing, is a slow, relaxed diaphragmatic way of breathing at around 3-7 breaths per minute.¹ It has a regulating effect on the autonomic nervous system and other key body systems such as the circulatory system and the heart. It calms the fight and flight response (sympathetic nervous system) and increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve.

Therefore, this rate of breathing is very suitable for arriving at a restful state. This, in turn, aids in reaching the necessary pratyāhāra (sense withdrawal) for meditation. Additionally, breathing at the resonant frequency may improve a large range of physiological and psychological outcomes, such as an increase in oxygen saturation, a decrease in blood pressure and inflammation, as wel as improvements in pain regulation, emotional awareness, cognitive abilities, and stress regulation.¹

Breathing exercises

But where to start with conscious breathing? There is a great variety of yogic breathing exercises: too many to list here, but I plan to regularly update this page to expand it more. As a rule of thumb, increasing your breath rate activates the sympathetic nervous system (“active system”) and slowing down the breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system (“rest system”).

For most exercises, breathing must be relaxed and diaphragmatic (originating from the belly). Usually, you breathe through the nose, or in some cases, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Make sure not to force anything: stop the exercise if you’re feeling dizzy, light-headed or nauseous.

An example of a simple, relaxing breathing exercise is Sama Vritti (also known as 4-4-4-4 breath or Box Breathing). I believe this is the first breathing exercise that I’ve ever tried. For this exercise, breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breath out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and repeat this cycle a few times.

Another example is the 4-6-6 breath. Again, the numbers indicate the duration: breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 6 seconds, breathe out for 6 seconds. By extending the exhalation compared to the inhalation, your heart rate slows down and you become more relaxed. Yet another exercise that uses this principle is Anulom Vilom (explained below).

Exercise: Anulom Vilom

Anulom Vilom,² or anuloma viloma, is a form of alternate nostril breathing. Currently, this is one of my favourite breathing exercises. It is useful at the start of a meditation, for example, or anytime you’d like to calm down. It is performed as follows:³

1. Take a comfortable upright seat, breathe in normally. Using your right hand, fold your middle and index fingers in toward your palm. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
2. Exhale for about 6 seconds from your left nostril.
3. Close your left nostril with your ring and pinky finger and hold your breath for about 6 seconds.
4. Lift your thumb and inhale for 4 seconds through your right nostril, then exhale for 6 seconds from your right nostril.
5. Close your right nostril with your thumb and hold your breath for about 6 seconds.
6. Lift your ring and pinky finger and inhale through your left nostril for 4 seconds.
7. Start again at point 2 and repeat for a few rounds.

The breathing timer shown below can help you learn this exercise.