Breathe Right - 3 Lessons in Breathing Properly

My Yoga Online - My Yoga Online is proud to introduce a 3 part series by Vijai Sharma PhD, RYT titled "Breathe Right". This series of articles addresses signs of incorrect breathing, provides structured tips on correct therapeutic breathing exercises, and presents concepts on Diaphragmatic and Pursed Lip Breathing. These articles offers beneficial information for everyone learning to bring more breath and vitality into their yoga practice and daily living.

Part 1: Do You Need Breathing Retraining?

Usually we breathe in the automatic mode and are not conscious of our breathing. We become conscious of it only when we experience a breathing problem such as shortness of breath, chest tightness or a feeling of suffocation. Eastern societies in the ancient times emphasized conscious breathing for physical, mental and spiritual benefits. Importance of deeper, fuller and relaxed breathing for health and wellness cannot be overstated. Everyone healthy or otherwise should learn and make sure they breathe correctly. They should receive breathing retraining if they identify any signs of incorrect breathing in themselves. Read more...

Part 2: Breathe Correctly, Consciously and Relaxed

Chronic mental and emotional stress or a medical/structural problem can create tension in the muscles and nerves in the entire body including the muscles of respiration. When you are physically, mentally and emotionally relaxed, your breathing is naturally slow, deep and relaxed. You can change your breathing if it is tense or incorrect by putting yourself in a state of relaxation and practicing relaxed breathing. Read more...

Part 3: Diaphragmatic and Pursed Lip Breathing

Set a goal to breathe consciously, diaphragmatically for most part of your waking hours. If you experience any breathing problem or irregularity in your breathing, start practicing PLB. Your continued breath awareness and monitoring will prompt you at the earliest sign of irregular breathing. The moment you notice the first sign, start practicing PLB to regulate your breathing. Read more...