Breathe Deeply: Yoga Practices to Support Breathwork

Your breath connects body and mind like nothing else. Yoga allows you to focus on breathing. These practices calm your nervous system. They also prepare you to handle whatever life throws at you.

This guide covers foundational breathing techniques and poses that open your breathing muscles. Your breath is always with you. You can learn to use it as your most powerful tool for wellness. Find out how in this blog.

What is Breathwork?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Breathwork refers to breathing techniques that intentionally channel and focus on the breath. For thousands of years, Eastern medicine practices, including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, have employed breathing techniques to calm the body and the mind.

Why Breathwork Matters

Breathing happens without thought. However, being conscious about breathing changes everything. Understanding how breath affects your body and mind transforms your relationship with stress. It improves your emotional balance, too.

The Science Behind Conscious Breathing

Your autonomic nervous system controls breathing and the stress response. Most of the time, this system runs on autopilot. But breathing is unique. When you breathe deeply, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This shifts you into a better state.

Research shows that breathwork has become increasingly popular, showing its possible therapeutic potential. There have been significant small-medium effects of breathwork on self-reported/subjective stress, anxiety, and depression compared to non-breathwork control conditions.

Emotional Regulation Through Breath

Emotions show up in your breathing patterns before you even notice them. Anger creates short, sharp breaths. Anxiety makes breathing shallow and rapid. Changing your breathing pattern changes your emotional state.

Building Resilience

Regular breathwork increases your resilience. Athletes use breathwork to enhance performance. Musicians use it to manage stage fright. Whatever your life looks like, you can benefit from this practice.

Foundational Breathing Techniques

Simple doesn't mean easy. These breathwork fundamentals require practice and patience to develop. Here are four that you can try.

Simple breathwork

Find where breath feels clearest. Nostrils, chest, or belly. That spot becomes your anchor. Count each exhale from one to ten, then start over. This is usually how meditation begins, and it can set you on the right path for breathwork.

Three-Part Breath

Three-part breath teaches you to use your full lung capacity. This technique forms the foundation for all other breathwork practices.

To start, place one hand on your chest. The other one should be on your belly. Breathe into your belly first. Think about it expanding like a balloon. Continue the inhale and fill your ribcage. Finish by breathing into your upper chest. Then, exhale in reverse order. Practice by taking a few breaths at a time. 

Box Breathing

Box breathing creates balance and focus. This technique calms anxiety and improves concentration. Navy SEALs use variations of this practice to stay centered in extreme situations. To do this, inhale for a count of four. Hold your breath for four counts. Exhale for four counts. Hold empty for four counts. Repeat this pattern.

Start with four-count timing. You can adjust as you get more practice. Some people work up to six or eight counts per side. The key is keeping all four sides of the "box" equal.

Extended Exhale

Exhaling activates your relaxation response more than any other breathing technique. To do an extended exhale, inhale for a comfortable count. Then, you’ll exhale for twice as long. Make sure your exhale is always longer than your inhale for this exercise.

Let the exhale be smooth and controlled. It shouldn’t be forced or strained. Practice extended exhale breathing when you need to wind down.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This technique balances your nervous system. You do this by alternating airflow between your nostrils. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your thumb. Exhale through your right nostril.

Next, inhale through your right nostril. Close it with your thumb and release your ring finger. Exhale through your left nostril. This completes one round. This technique works well in the morning. It helps you create mental clarity and find more balance.

Breathwork Sequences

Combining breathing techniques with movement amplifies the benefits. These sequences target specific outcomes. Think things like energy, relaxation, or stress relief.

Morning Energizer

Start with a three-part breath. This will wake up your breathing muscles. To do this, take five deep breaths. Expand fully on each inhale and empty your lungs completely on each exhale. Move to Cat-Cow stretches synchronized next. Inhale to arch your back. Then, exhale to round your spine. Finish with alternate nostril breathing. All to balance your nervous system and create clarity.

Stress Relief Sequence

Use extended exhale breathing to activate your relaxation response. First, inhale for four counts. Then, exhale for eight counts. Do this a few times before you add yoga poses to the routine. 

Next, move into supported Fish Pose or Heart Bench to open restricted breathing muscles. Focus on expanding your chest with each breath. Then, end in Child's Pose. Let each exhale release tension and stress from your day.

Pre-Sleep Wind Down

Start with box breathing. This will calm your nervous system down. Practice equal inhales, holds, exhales, and pauses. Then move through gentle spinal twists.  This combination prepares your body for rest.

Your Breath, Your Power

Breathwork offers the most accessible and immediate tool for managing stress. Your breath travels with you everywhere. It requires no equipment and works in any environment. Start with one technique. Practice it consistently, and you’ll notice how this simple addition affects your well-being.

With regular practice, breathwork will help you manage stress in the moment and build resilience against future stress. Your body will learn to recognize and release tension more efficiently. Your mind will also become aware of triggers before they overwhelm you.

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