Yogic breathing in daily life

By Sangeetha Saran

Deep, thoughtful breathing is a crucial part of yoga. Proper yogic breathing is known as pranayama, which is the science and art of yogic breathing techniques. Because breathing in this way is emphasized in yoga classes, students often assume they can resume normal breathing after leaving. However, by incorporating yogic breathing into your daily life, you can derive even more benefits from it. This type of breathing relaxes the muscles and helps stress melt away. People who practice yogic breathing regularly are happier and more relaxed. The beautiful thing is that you can do it absolutely anywhere.

Take Breaks to Breathe

At first, breathing this deeply and thoughtfully probably won’t come naturally. You’re sure to spend most of your day breathing shallowly. To start incorporating yogic breathing into your daily life, try setting an alarm on your smartphone. Whenever it goes off, set aside a minute or two to practice pranayama. You can do this anywhere you happen to be. Even if you’re at the gym engaging in intense cardio, you can force yourself to be mindful of the way you’re breathing. If you’re just sitting at a desk or otherwise being sedentary, it’s especially easy – and beneficial – to engage in this type of breathing.

Be Aware of the Benefits

It’s easy to discount yogic breathing in daily life when you don’t pay attention to the benefits that it produces. Every time you practice yogic breathing, try to tune in to the way it makes your mind and body feel. Most people experience a strong sense of relaxation and peace. Those feelings are very pleasurable and can help us forget about our worries. Yogic breathing also helps us stay in the present, where past problems and future concerns are nowhere to be found. By being mindful of these and other benefits, you’ll be more motivated to keep breathing this way every day.

Practice Makes Perfect

Don’t be discouraged if you keep finding yourself breathing shallowly. This may continue to be the case for quite a long time. Furthermore, no one breathes this deeply on a continual basis. However, the more you do it, the more it will stick. Remember the basics of deep breathing and put them to work for you several times a day: Draw in a breath from your diaphragm. The air should be drawn in through your nose. Fill your lungs completely, and then slowly exhale. It’s as simple as that, and doing it regularly can make a huge difference.

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