5 Life Saving Pranayama Exercises And Their Benefits

Living things breathe to live but it is only humans that have the power to control their breathing. Pranayama exercises in yoga are deep breathing exercises that improve the quality of breath & has several health benefits. It is a process of constant breathing and improving your power to inhale, control, and exhale the breath.

There are five Pranayama exercises in Yoga and each exercise has its specific process and benefits. The good thing about the Pranayama exercises is that they require nothing special like an accessory. But a little training is required to practice the exercises.

Try these five Pranayama exercises at home in a well-ventilated and calm space for health benefits.

Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)

Bhastrika Pranayama is a cleansing kriya as it clears nostrils and sinuses to prepare the body for a deep breathing exercise. Also, it restores the lost energy by way of cleansing and deep breathing.

Steps:

Sit down with cross legs like you do in Sukhasana and keep your back straight

Take a deep breath from your nose to fill your lungs with clean air and then breathe out in the same manner

Now start inhaling and exhaling quick breaths through your nose. While doing so, your belly would move in and out quickly

Do a round of bellow breathing and them come to normal to take a short breath after which you can go for another round of bellow breathing

Do at least 3 rounds of bellow breath at the beginning

Benefits:

Strengthens and detoxifies lungs and cures asthma
Improves blood circulation and balances blood pressure
Increases appetite, aids digestion, and strengthens immunity standards
Brings neurological balance by relieving the mind of hypertension, stress, anxiety, and depression
Cures sinus infections and common cold and flu

Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath)

Kapalbhati Pranayama is a “shut kriya” that forcefully flushes out toxic air from the body. Its regular practice blesses people with a shining head and bright intellect.

Steps:

Sit down in Sukhasana with your back straight and palms placed on your knees

Focus on your belly region and take a deep breathe to fill your lungs with fresh air

Squeeze your stomach and place your hand on it to feel the muscles contracting

As you relax your belly from contraction, you will feel a quick exhale of toxic air with a hissing sound but it is normal. Also, there will be automatic inhalation after the exhale

Inhaling and exhaling constitutes one round of Kapalbhati Pranayama and you need to do it 20 times

After one round, close your eyes and observe your body to feel the difference

Benefits:

Treats the brain to enhance stress response
Strengthens respiratory muscles and cures lung problems
Purifies blood that leads to glowing skin
Aids in weight loss
Cure digesting problems
Controls blood sugar level

Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath) Health Benefits

It got its name from a black bee called Bhramari as the exercise produces a humming sound similar to the humming of bees. It is a quick solution to de-stress your body and mind.

Steps:

Sit down in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and put on a smile on your face

Place your index fingers on the cartilage between your cheek and ear

Inhale a deep breathe and breathe out but keep the cartilage close with your index fingers

Also, produce a loud humming sound like a bee while exhaling toxic air

Continue the exercise a couple of times in a similar manner

Benefits:

Treats mental conditions including hypertension, anger, and anxiety
Helps control migraine and boosts confidence
Reduces blood pressure
Good for controlling Alzheimer’s disease
Calms nerves and reduces frustration
Clears voice and reduces throat problems

Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Anulom Vilom is an alternate nostril breathing technique that clears nasal passage, sinus, and nadis. Both right and left nostrils are cleared and balanced with this exercise.

Steps:

Sit down comfortable in Sukhasana or any other asana you are comfortable with

Place your left palm on your left knee and raise your right palm to close your right nostril with your right thumb

Take a deep breathe from your left nostril and release the air the same way but deeply and slowly

After a round of deep breathing with the left nostril is complete, you can change it to the right nostril

Release your right nostril and close the left nostril with your little finger and perform a similar deep breathing process with your right nostril

Start with 5 rounds with each nostril initially before increasing the frequency

Benefits:

Streamlines body metabolism and enhances the overall health
Reduces arthritis and control sinus problems
Solves common conditions of eyes and ears
Helps in curing allergies and asthma

Bahya Pranayama (External Breath) Health Benefits

Bahya Pranayama is a vital breathing technique as it involves three steps – inhaling, exhaling, and retaining the breath. It is also called the external breathing technique.

Steps:

Come down in Padmasana or Vajrasana

Take a deep breath to fill your lungs with fresh air and then exhale deeply

Hold your breath after exhaling and try pulling your stomach upward as much as you can

Down your head to touch your chest with your chin and hold the position for 5-10 seconds

Relax and get back to the first position

Repeat the process 5-10 times

Note: People with neck problems should keep their heads straight and not try to move their heads down

Benefits:

Cures hernia, urinary, and reproductive problems
Good for gut health as it cures acidity and prevents constipation
Increases concentration and helps in achieving enlightenment
Cures diabetes and prostate-related problems

Conclusion

Breathing for a living thing is normal but people underestimate its value. A breathing exercise could be life-saving in difficult situations. Also, it can improve your breath quality that is vital to your mental and physical well-being. If you stop breathing even for a second, you will feel discomfort. But with exercise, you can improve your breathing power and capacity to hold your breath for a long time. Also, there are many health benefits of the breathing exercises.

Disclaimer: Pranayama exercises require training without which they could be disturbing. You should practice a Pranayama exercise only under the guidance of a physical trainer.