Breathing is one aspect of yoga that benefits practitioners. It is through proper yoga breathing techniques that a person experiences relaxation, manage stress, facilitate oxygen flow in the blood, nourish, and repair body cells, and maintain ideal health condition.

However to achieve all those benefits, it is important to engage in the right techniques that will enable proper yogic breathing. To assist in the practice of proper yogic breathing, here are some of the practices that you must follow as well as the ones that you must avoid.

Yoga Breathing Techniques: What to Do

• Have your self seated comfortably on a chair or on a yoga mat.
• Close your eyes and clear your mind.
• Let your breath flow in a long, swift and peaceful movement.
• Inhale and exhale through your nose. In case of breathing difficulty because of clogged nose, nose and mouth can be use alternately.
• Inhale and exhale fully, repeat this 20 times.
• Gradually return to normal breathing.
• Stay seated with eyes still closed then assess if your overall wellness has improved.
• Yoga breathing techniques should be performed in a matter of 10 to 15 minutes.

Yoga Breathing Techniques: Precautions

• To ensure safe yoga breathing techniques, people with certain conditions such as lung problems and heart diseases should first consult a physician before trying these yoga breathing techniques.
• In cases when the above conditions exist, the assistance of a yoga therapist should be sought to control breathing safely.
• Yoga breathing exercises are not recommended in an environment that is too cold or too hot.
• Avoid environment with polluted air when performing yoga breathing techniques. Avoid places with smoked incense as well to avoid suffocation.
• Avoid closed spaces when performing yoga breathing techniques. It is recommended to stay outdoors or in a space with open windows.
• Stay away from places with TV and computer as this affects the results of yoga breathing. TV and computer produce positive ions which are not ideal for health because they are associated with fatigue, headache and respiratory ailments. On the other hand, negative ions are the ones that are beneficial for wellness.
• Do not strain. It is important to relax when yoga breathing exercises are performed.
• Repeat yoga breathing exercises only as prescribed. Overdoing the practice may cause negative effects.
• Constricted clothing and belts are not advised when performing yoga breathing exercises.
• Avoid shallow breathing as it doesn't help in efficiently oxygenating blood that circulates in your arteries and veins. This is often the reason why one will feel mentally sluggish and emotionally upset.

Yoga breathing exercises are effective and can bring positive results but only when it is done properly.  Yoga breathing techniques are being taught in childbirth clinics to assist in the birthing process. It is a technique that enables the nervous system to be in a relaxed enabling a person to feel calm and undistracted.

Engage in the correct techniques and avoid wrong practices to ensure that you will make the most of yoga breathing.