/ Pranayama
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Do you feel relaxed? Since we live in the Aquarian Age, modern-day life can be hectic.
You may find that you have continuous work constraints, pressure, and a busy social life. Add all of the above to the toxic nature of social media, and it’s a recipe for disaster.
It’s no wonder that anxiety is rife among people. But did you know that stress and worries can be linked directly to your breathing? It’s true.
Whenever you are feeling ill at ease or stressed out, you will find that you take short and shallow breaths. The fact that you’re not getting the oxygen that you need will have a physiological impact on you and your body.
For that reason, when you are anxious, your heart rate will speed up and you will start to feel worse. If that sounds familiar to you, there’s something you can do about it.
Believe it or not, engaging in slow breathing could effortlessly improve these symptoms. Here we will look at the science behind how slow breathing helps you relax.
Breathing Impacts Your State of Mind
Research from Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that breathing can have a direct impact on nerve cells in the brainstem. These cells connect breathing to your state of mind. Put simply, that means the rate at which you breathe could change your mindset.
The research identified a cluster of neurons linking how you breathe to relaxation and excitement. Jack Feldman, PhD, professor of neurobiology at UCLA, and co-author of the research found the connection during the study.
“The respiratory pacemaker has, in some respects, a tougher job than its counterpart in the heart,” explained Mark Krasnow, MD, PhD, professor of biochemistry, and the research’s senior author.
“Unlike the heart’s one-dimensional, slow-to-fast continuum, there are many distinct types of breaths: regular, excited, sighing, yawning, gasping, sleeping, laughing, sobbing,” he continued. “We wondered if different subtypes of neurons within the respiratory control center might be in charge of generating these different types of breath.”
Of course, should there be a problem with your breathing pattern, it can have a negative impact on your mental state and your health. For that reason, the experts stress the importance of getting your respiratory functions checked out regularly.
“If something’s impairing or accelerating your breathing, you need to know right away,” explained Krasnow. “These 175 neurons, which tell the rest of the brain what’s going on, are absolutely critical.”
Conclusion
Breathwork has a direct impact on your mindset. When you are trying to relax after a long, hard day at work, engaging in a quick practice could be the answer. When you add pranayama to your everyday routine, you may find that you feel calmer than before.
As this recent research has shown, the activity has an impact on your brain cells and may instantly change the way that you feel on an emotional level. No matter how busy you are or what you have going on, you can add this to your existing schedule today.
See more: Quick Guide to the Three-Stroke Breath Practice for Radiance
