Practitioners of yoga believe that when it comes to managing stress and connecting the mind and body, the breath is key. In yoga breathing techniques are called Pranayama. When you take time to focus all of your attention on your breathing, you shift the mind away from worrisome thoughts, which can help you to feel calmer. The deep breathing exercises taught in yoga are also more physiologically relaxing for the body than day-to-day breathing. There are some simple and more complex breathing exercises that yoga teaches to help you calm yourself.
Focus Your Mind
With all of the breathing techniques, the goal is to keep your attention on the breath and away from stressful or worrisome thoughts. There may be times when this is easy and other times when it is more difficult. Try to practice one of these techniques for 10 to 15 minutes each day, keeping your attention on the movement and sensation of the breath. If and when your mind wanders to other thoughts, just simply, without judgment, bring your attention back to the breath.
Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing
Deep diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing is the most basic form of calming breath. When under stress, the breath tends to become fast and shallow. The goal is to deepen and slow down the breath while focusing your attention on your breathing. Lie down or sit in a comfortable position. Inhale through the nose and allow your belly to move out. The allows the diaphragm muscle to drop and the lungs to expand. Then exhale through the nose and allow the belly to relax and move inwards. This contracts the diaphragm muscle, presses on the lungs and allows the air to be expelled.
Ujjayi Breathing
This style of breathing is similar to the above but a bit deeper, slower and done with a sound. Due to this sound, it is sometimes referred to as "Darth Vader Breath." While breathing, you gently constrict the opening of the throat to create a slight resistance to the passage of air. You are pulling the breath in and pushing the breath out. This sound has also been explained as listening to the sound of the ocean waves coming gently in and out. Slightly constricting your throat and making a sound requires you to focus more intently, which can calm the mind even more.
Nadi Shodhana
Nadi Shodhana is known as the sweet breath and it is very calming. Sit up straight on a cushion on the floor or in a chair. Take your right thumb and block you right nostril. Inhale fully through your left nostril. With your right index finger, close the left nostril and gently hold the breath in for as long as comfortable without struggling. Then release just the right nostril and exhale fully. Let go of the nose and gently hold the breath out as long as you comfortably can. Then block the left nostril with your index finger and inhale fully through the right nostril. Again, close the nose and hold the breath in. Release the left nostril, exhale fully and hold the breath out. Continue alternating sides.
Sitali
Sitali is known as a cooling and calming breath. Stick your tongue out and curl the edges up so you make a U-shape or a tube. Breathe in deeply through this tube. Then place your tongue on the upper palate of your mouth and tilt your head gently down and slowly exhale through the nose.
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