Use your breath to enhance a sense of yogic calm and well-being.
Breathing is the theme of many catchy pop songs. (Just ask Anna Nalick, Pearl Jam, Miley Cyrus, and Eddie Vedder). But it’s also an essential part of yoga and encouraged during flow. Not only does breathing help you support your movements, but it also can help you relax.
Put simply, yogic breathing is intentional breathing, says Kelly Aguilera, ERYT-500 certified yoga instructor, and lead teacher of Sacred Roots Teacher Training in Reno, Nevada. “It’s the practice of being mindful of the depth of your breath.”
Not surprisingly, this type of breathing also may be beneficial outside of the yoga studio—especially because many people take shallow breaths throughout their day, explains Aguilera. “Yogic breathing asks that we replace those shallow, unintentional breaths with deep belly breathing.”
Ahead, yoga experts explain exactly how to breathe like a yogi—plus, share the health, fitness, and general wellness benefits of doing so in and out of your practice.
The Importance of Breath in Yoga
Anyone who has ever taken a yoga class knows that the words inhale and exhale make a common appearance. But why is there such an emphasis on breath in yoga? The answer, put simply, is that yoga is a movement and mindfulness practice.
“Breathing intentionally can be used to support your movement,” says instructor Rachel Hirsch, the co-founder of Empowered Yoga, a yoga studio in Los Angeles, California.
When you are doing more active poses, for example, you can use your breath to connect those poses, as well as increase stability and confidence within them, says Hirsch. “Breathing during can help minimize joint compression, support stillness in poses, and help create more space and freedom between those joints.”
During poses designed to help you gain access to a range of motion, breathing also can help you and your muscles relax fully into the shape, she adds. “When stretching, you can use your breath to soften, to deepen, and to relax when a moment of stretching becomes intense.”
Many people find that they also can use their breath to minimize heat in these moments so that they can continue to deepen the stretch, she explains. And, given that yogic breathing can help you stay in positions longer and deeper, using yogic breathing can help you increase your overall mobility and strength faster than you would be able to without it.
Benefits of Yoga Breathing Exercises
Yogic breathing is something that people can (and should) incorporate into their lives off the mat, too, says Hirsch. “When you practice yogic breathing, you practice your mind-body connection.”
And when your mind-body connection strengthens, you’ll notice benefits like reduced pain, improved balance, increased flexibility and mobility, and a greater sense of calm, she says. Yep, that’s quite the list of benefits just for breathing a little more intentionally!
The perks of learning to breathe like a yogi have carry-over into your normal day-to-day activities, too. For starters, if breathing like a yogi has improved your strength and mobility in your yoga practice, that means activities like sitting down, getting out of bed, putting something into a cabinet overhead, picking a package up off the stoop, and carrying your fur- or human-baby to-and-fro also will be easier.
Beyond that, using yogic breathing while in traffic, right before a big work meeting, or in the parking lot before heading into a first day, can help support a sense of calm, says Christa Janine, 500-hour E-RYT certified yoga instructor with Alo Moves.
“Learning to control your breathing patterns can help you manage disruptions in your nervous system, such as stress or anxiety,” she explains. “When you understand how to steady your breath during high-stress situations it helps reduce panic and anxiety attacks.”
Breathing Basics in Yoga
There are a number of different types of yogic breaths (outlined below) that you can learn. But if you’re an intentional-breathing beginner and just want a 101-level lesson, start here.
When learning how to breathe like a yogi, tune into your breath, says Janine. That means taking a moment (or five!) to think about your breath, she says. “Yogic breathing is all about inhaling and exhaling with focus.”
So, when you’re ready to master the basics, set aside five to 10 minutes, get into a comfortable seated, standing, or even lying down position, and practice inhaling and exhaling at different intervals, suggests Janine. You could, for example, try to inhale on a count of five, hold for a count of three, and then exhale on a count of four.
5 Yoga Breathing Exercises, Explained
As mentioned, yoga breathing exercises are useful both on and off the mat. Here are a few different exercises explained so that you can use them when needed.
Deep Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Pranayama)
As the name suggests, during deep belly breathing your stomach (not your chest) inflates and deflates with each inhale and exhale, says Aguilera. “Diaphragmatic breathing is great for anyone looking to reset their mindset, ease anxious nerves, or who need help falling asleep.”
- Place one hand on your belly and another hand on your heart.
- Inhale slowly and focus the breath on your belly.
- Feel the hand on the belly rise. (The hand on the heart may rise as well).
- Exhale and feel your hands fall.
- Repeat.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Alternate nostril breathing, also known as Nadi Shodhana, is one of the best practices to reduce both stress and blood pressure, says Hirsch. During this breath, you will alternate opening and closing each nostril. “You will use your thumb to close your right nostril and your fourth finger to close your left nostril,” she explains.
- Begin by sitting in a comfortable seat with your left hand on your knee and your right hand on your nose.
- Use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
- Empty the air from your stomach, chest, and lungs by exhaling through your left nostril. Then, inhale through your left nostril.
- Release your thumb to free your right nostril, and switch your grip so that your fourth finger is being used to close your left nostril.
- Exhale through your right nostril. Then, inhale through your right nostril.
- Continue this alteration for one to five minutes.
Skull Shining Breath (Kapalabhati)
Feeling sleepy or want to add a little spring in your step? Give this energizing breath a try, suggests Janine. “Kapalabhati pranayama is a much more active breath than other yogic breaths and will leave the practitioner feeling more energetic after use. It’s also been known to help tone the core.”
- Sit comfortably with your back flat.
- Exhale sharply while pulling the belly button into the spine.
- Relax your navel and abdomen, this will naturally allow you to inhale.
- Repeat for 20 repetitions.
Alternate Nostril Skull Shining Breath (Kapalabhati Pranayama)
Once you’re comfortable with Kapalbhati, consider adding an alternate nostril component, suggests Janine. “Alternative nostril Kapalbhati can help you find balance and connection between the left and right side of your brain, while simultaneously clearly the lungs and nasal passage.”
- Begin by inhaling through both nostrils.
- Use your thumb to close your right nostril.
- Exhale sharply through your left side as you contract your core.
- Release the right nostril and inhale through both nostrils quickly.
- Use your ring finger to close your left nostril and exhale through your right side.
- Continue alternating for 20 breaths total.
Ocean Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)
Ujjayi Pranayama is often called ocean’s breath, due to the fact that you make an ocean-like sound when you practice it. But while the ocean is usually cold, this breath will make you hot-hot-hot. “The breath increases your need for oxygen and builds the body’s temperature from the inside out,” explains Janine.
- Close your mouth so that there is just a small space between your lips.
- Constrict the back of your throat slightly as if you were fogging up a mirror.
- Keep your throat contracted and exhale through your mouth so that you hear a soft hissing sound.
- Inhale through your mouth with your throat still tight and mouth closed.
- Repeat this for 10 or more breaths.
When you get comfortable breathing this way through your mouth, try sealing your lips. Then, see if you can maintain the throat seal and sounds, and inhale and exhale with your mouth closed.
Are There Side Effects of Certain Breathing Exercises?
There are no major side effects for practicing most yogic breathing exercises. After all, you need to breathe to live. What’s more, research has shown that some variation of yoga is safe for almost anyone to participate in.
That said, it’s wise to consult a healthcare provider before incorporating any new health or fitness practice—such as yoga—into your routine. A provider’s greenlight is particularly important, according to the NIH, if you:
- Are pregnant
- Have any pre-existing injuries in your hip, knee, or back
- Have lumbar spine disease, severe high blood pressure, balance issues, or glaucoma
Beyond that, when practicing be sure to listen to your body. If you get dizzy or lightheaded while doing yoga or yogic breathing, take a break, drink some water, have some quick carbs, and talk to the instructor if the sensation persists. Most importantly, try to take slow, deep breaths. This can help deliver oxygen throughout your body and help the woozy feeling pass.
