A yoga practice incorporates many distinct respiration techniques (above and beyond what you do during a yoga routine) that may make it easier to loosen up and de-stress. And a lot of these techniques may be done anytime, anywhere—not only during yoga class.
If you desire to reap the advantages of those respiration techniques, start with the belly respiration technique below. Once you've mastered belly respiration, you'll be able to then try others based on the unique advantages each technique offers.
Belly respiration
When we take into consideration our day by day lives, most of us take quick, shallow “chest breaths” that may leave us feeling stressed and drained. Belly respiration, also often called “belly breathing,” is a basic yoga breath that counteracts the results of chest respiration. The technique emphasizes deep respiration to induce abdominal movement. It's necessary for beginners to practice yoga, but everyone can profit from learning it, yogi or not.
Belly respiration is learned while lying in your back, with one or each hands in your stomach. For belly respiration, inhale slowly and deeply, drawing the air into the underside of your lungs as your hand rises. Your belly should expand and expand as you inhale, then contract and lower as you exhale. One method to give it some thought is to assume your lungs as two glasses of water – with each breath, you fill them from the underside up, but empty them from the highest down.
Once you're comfortable with belly respiration while leaning or standing, you'll be able to try it. You can use this system while you practice yoga postures or when meditating. It can also be useful at any time of the day when you might want to calm down.
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