Controlled breathing; stress control and better health with better breathing.

yogaControlled breathing; stress control and better health with better breathing.

Many of us experience stress and once we are stressed out, do not know how to bring ourselves down from the experience.

Controlled breathing is a technique that has been practiced for centuries and taught by Yogi’s to help people calm themselves down, sedate the autonomic nervous system which responds to stress and improve the way you feel and function.

The NY Times recently published this article that has some great information on how to use these techniques to improve your stress levels and overall sense of wellbeing.

Breathe. Exhale. Repeat: The Benefits of Controlled Breathing
By LESLEY ALDERMANNOV. 9, 2016

Take a deep breath, expanding your belly. Pause. Exhale slowly to the count of five. Repeat four times.
Congratulations. You”™ve just calmed your nervous system.

Controlled breathing, like what you just practiced, has been shown to reduce stress, increase alertness and boost your immune system. For centuries yogis have used breath control, or pranayama, to promote concentration and improve vitality. Buddha advocated breath-meditation as a way to reach enlightenment.

Science is just beginning to provide evidence that the benefits of this ancient practice are real. Studies have found, for example, that breathing practices can help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and attention deficit disorder.

“œBreathing is massively practical,” says Belisa Vranich, a psychologist and author of the book “œBreathe,” to be published in December. “œIt”™s meditation for people who can”™t meditate.”

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