(Please note that the information below is general information, and that yoga is not intended to take the place of medical treatment that your doctor may recommend. Rather, practices such as yoga can enhance your overall sense of well-being, and have been shown to have health-enhancing effects on the body, as mentioned below.)
The body is the vehicle through which we manifest all our good intentions. Breath is the fuel for this vehicle. Through our yoga practice, we eliminate obstacles so we are better able to use this fuel more efficiently. Breath is energy, and each time we breathe in, we infuse every cell of the body with this vital energy. The breath is also a waste disposal system, as when we breathe out, we eliminate toxic waste products.
When we experience pain or tightness in the body, it is often due in part to a restriction of energy. Studies have shown that when we put our attention on the breath and visualize bringing the breath to a part of the body that needs release or healing, it can be quite effective in pain management and stress reduction.
We do not have to think about the breath, but simply feel it. The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle that separates the heart and lungs from the abdominal organs. When we breathe in, it draws downward and our belly expands, and when we breathe out, it moves back upwards into a looser, more relaxed position. If our abdominal muscles are tight, the diaphragm will meet with resistance, and our breath will be shallow.
Physical Benefits of Proper Breathing:
- The expansion and relaxation of the lungs and the movement of the diaphragm, ribs, and intercostals muscles massages the internal organs and enhances the circulation of the blood and abdominal fluids.
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Immune system functioning is aided through the movement of the diaphragm, which assists in the pumping of lymphatic fluid. This helps in reintegration into the circulatory system and the distribution of white blood cells, thereby aiding immunity.
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Long, slow, deep, and rhythmic breathing calms the nervous system, balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses.
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Complete breathing increases oxygenation of all the alveoli of the lungs, especially important for health and healing of the lungs where tissue has been damaged. Deep breathing can increase our oxygen intake by 40%.
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Full breathing maintains elasticity in the muscles and lung tissues.
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As a result of deep breathing, lung capacity increases, and greater space and flexibility results in the chest area.
