In this fast paced and stressful life we live, anxiety is bound to take its toll on you. An easy technique to tackle these feelings is a Yogic breathing technique called Pranayama. Pranayama is derived from two Sanskrit words: ‘prana’ which means life force and ‘yama’ which means to regulate. According to Ashram Yoga, Pranayama means regulating or changing the way we breath slightly to raise the energy level in the body and mind. So here are a few Yogic breathing techniques to help you deal with anxiety:
Sudarshan Kriya
Kneel on a rug, in a way that your shins and feet touch the floor. Then sit back on your heels, bottom on the floor and ankles grazing the hips. Practice the position before you start breathing. The first cycle of Sudarshan Kriya is simple short inhales and exhales, the second cycle is breaths that last twice as long as the first cycle, and lastly the third is a set of deeper inhales and exhales longer than the second cycle.
Real Belly Breath
With one hand on your belly, relax your abdominal muscles, and slowly inhale through the nose, bringing air into the bottom of your lungs. Continue to inhale as your rib cage expands outward, and finally, the collar bones rise. At the peak of the inhalation, pause for a moment, then exhale gently from the top of your lungs to the bottom. At the end of exhalation, contract your abdominal muscles slightly to push residual air out of the bottom of your lungs.
Nadi Shodhana
This is a good breathing technique especially if you’re feeling anxious by DRYP Hot Yoga in JLT. Hold your right thumb over your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril. At the peak of your inhalation, close off your left nostril with your fourth finger, lift your right thumb, and then exhale smoothly through your right nostril. Continue for 3 to 5 minutes, alternating your breathing through each nostril. *With special thanks to DRYP Hot Yoga Studio and Ashram Yoga.