Effect of Pranayama

If the various exercises of Pranayama are practiced regularly, the tidal volume is increasing and the respiratory will be longer and finer. Sometimes it comes to natural behaviour of the respiratory system. From a physical point of view it is at such a fine, very slow breathing to a nearly non-turbulent, laminar air flow in the respiratory tract and bronchi, which optimizes the biochemical processes of pulmonary gas exchange. Several medical studies have shown: the regular, slow pranayama breathing leads to positive effects evaluated, such as reduced oxygen demand, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and effects on the skin conductance increased, amplitudes of theta waves in the EEG, increased parasympathetic activity, coupled with a feeling of alertness and energize.

Patanjali has already explained in his Yoga Sutras to that distractions of the mind are connected with troubled breathing and breath control that could bring the mind to concentration. Exhalation, inhalation and breathing pauses are placed in Pranayama in a certain ratio to each other. This leads to a change in the execution of sensitive activities of the mind and can lead to a regular practice, a more profound transformation of consciousness and a heightened sensitivity to subtle life activities.

What is Pranayama

The Pranayama practice usually replaces the usual and unconscious breathing pattern. There are several techniques, each of which is to work with different muscle groups, especially with the diaphragm, and with chest, abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. In this way, the respiratory movements are controlled. The first result of the increasing practice, first, the sensitivity to the inner workings of breathing - and unconscious, habitual breathing patterns can be conscious. In the human organism is a close relationship between cognitive and physiological processes. Emotional states can be detected at physiological muscle tone, as are direct links between physical and psychological changes and changes observed in breathing. So scared for example, leads to a flatter and faster breathing, or shock to the sudden involuntary inhalation and breath holding. In most cases, are therefore associated with certain unconscious breathing patterns as unconscious emotional patterns of the psyche - they can lose through an improved awareness of the breathing their compulsive character. In this way, ingrained habit patterns of the organism be made available to smooth the conscious change. The breathing practice can thus be considered as a link between processes of the body and mental processes. In yoga, therefore, the practice of Pranayama has traditionally been very important. Pranayama can be called one of the oldest forms of respiratory therapy, the origins go back to the Upanishads.