Intro:
If your mornings are good, that automatically means it’s going to be a good day, and when you start your morning with one good habit, it transforms your whole day completely, so why not begin with mindful breathing? In this blog, we’ll explore five powerful pranayamas to help you feel refreshed and energized every morning!
Benefits of doing Pranayama every day:
- Improves lung capacity & oxygen flow: Pranayam improves our respiratory health and helps with better oxygen supply, resulting in improving our overall quality of life.
- Lowers stress & anxiety: Pranayam helps in lowering cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and promotes mental clarity and relaxation.
A Bangalore resident shared how yoga helped him improve his mental wellness. He was struggling with stress and sleep issues; he even started antidepressants. A friend recommended him to join Yoga in Bangalore, sharing his own experience with work pressure. Morning Yoga for Beginners really helped him in many aspects of life. After joining, he realized that while his workload remained the same, his ability to manage stress improved. Starting the day with yoga brought clarity and motivation.
5 Pranayama to do every day:
Here are five easy pranayama (breathing exercises) that you can do every day to maintain a healthy lifestyle:
● Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows breath):
How to do it:
- Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight back.
- Take a deep breath in, raising both hands above the head while inhaling and lowering them down while exhaling.
- You can continue this process of inhaling and exhaling for about 10–15 breaths.
Benefits: Bhastrika is like yogic coffee as it gives instant energy. This Pranayama helps increase the oxygen supply to our body. Boosts lung capacity and even helps with improving congestion.
Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing):
How to do it:
- Start by closing your right nostril with your thumb and inhaling a deep breath with your left nostril.
- With your ring finger, exhale through the right nostril and close the left nostril.
- Then, again with the right nostril, inhale through, close it, and exhale through the left nostril.
- Repeat this for 5–10 minutes or as long as you are comfortable.
Benefits: This Pranayama will reduce your stress levels by balancing both the hemispheres of the brain and also improve lung functioning.
● Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull shining breath):
How to do it:
- Start by sitting in a comfortable position.
- Take a deep breath, contract your abdominal muscles, and exhale forcefully
- The inhalation should happen naturally.
- Continue this 1-2 minutes or as long as you are comfortable.
Benefits: Kapalbhati comes from the Sanskrit words kapal, which means skull, and bhati, which means “to shine.” It is said to clean the brain from the inside; hence, it is a kriya! Additionally, it also improves the functioning of the lung by detoxifying it.
Bhramari Pranayama (Bee breath)
How to do it:
- Close your eyes and sit comfortably.
- Start by taking a few deep breaths.
- When you are exhaling, start by making sounds like a hummingbird, just like a bee.
- Repeat it for 5-7 minutes or as long as you are comfortable.
Benefits: This Pranayama is specially for people with sleep issues like insomnia or frequent headaches.
5. Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean breath)
How to do it:
- Through your nose, inhale deeply while you contract your throat a little.
- Exhale very slowly, and start making a soft “ocean wave” sound. You can imagine that you’re fogging up a window with your exhale.
- Repeat this for 5-10 minutes, or as long as you are comfortable doing it.
Benefits: This Pranayama is great for people who have hypertension. It helps with blood circulation and enhances lung capacity.
Conclusion:
Pranayama (life force energy) keeps you energized and balanced in all aspects of life. The more consistent you are with this practice, the greater the clarity, vitality, and inner harmony you’ll experience. It is not just a Pranayama; it is a new way of living! Take the first step today. Invest in your health now for a stronger, happier tomorrow:)
