Nadi Shodhana Pranayama Breathwork for Mental Health Concerns
I’m incredibly interested in breathwork as a modality for effectively addressing a variety of mental health concerns. Many common issues such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety can be profoundly changed in a rather short amount of time by addressing breathing rates and adjusting the ratio between the inhale, which is associated with the sympathetic nervous system, and the exhale, which is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system. We can actually induce states of panic and anxiety by increasing the ration of the inhale to the exhale! I enjoy looking to traditions such as yoga, Buddhist meditation techniques, and Eastern martial arts that have helped lay a foundation of human health through the restorative wisdom of returning to our own bodily functions as the source of our innate healing. I’d like to start by discussing a longstanding tradition of yoga, one which typically precedes the physical yoga sequence, called Nadi Shodhana.
Alternating Nostril breath/Channel Cleaning Breath: Nadi shodhana
Benefits: Much like other breath techniques, Nadi Shodhana fills the body with fresh oxygen, but has a cooling effect unlike other breathing techniques which heat the body and increase energy levels. The most noticeable benefit of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama is its effects on the mind. As it clears out blockages throughout the energy channels in the body, it calms the mind and brings awareness into the present moment. It’s an incredible tool to initiate mindfulness and bring the attention to the body by focusing on its most fundamental exchange with the outer world, the breath.
The alternate nostril breathing balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain and also helps with circulatory and respiratory issues. It is said to lower the heart rate, while releasing stress, fatigue, and anxiety. It can also help allergies. Like yoga and meditation, pranayama literally changes the brain by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, re-balancing irregular brain waves, and stimulating the vagus nerve. These powerful breathing practices increase neurotransmitters in the brain that calm our fight or flight response systems in the body, reducing cortisol levels and staving off the effects of accumulated stress and anxiety. It can help us stay calm, keep colds and the flu at bay, and can even improve communication with others by creating a longer pause before we react. We are left feeling at ease, relaxed, and connected. It has a cooling sensation when done correctly. It should be done slowly. This exercise is really about clearing the body to receive something new.
Description of the Practice:
– To begin the Nadi Shodhana pranayama, use your thumb to close off the right nostril and take a deep breath in through the left nostril. At the top of the breath, use your ring finger to close off the left nostril and retain the breath.
– When you are ready to exhale, release your thumb from your right nostril and slowly let the air out. Pause at the bottom of the exhale.
– When you are ready to inhale, breathe in through the right nostril. At the top of the breath, use your thumb to close off the right nostril and retain the breath.
– When you are ready to exhale, release your ring finger from the left nostril and slowly let the air out. Retain the breath at the bottom of the exhale.
– Continue moving from side to side practicing alternate nostril breathing. You can begin by timing yourself for 2-5 minutes and work your way up to 10 minutes or more.
– Nadi Shodhana Pranayama traditionally works with fixed breath ratio (4 count inhale, 4 count retain, 8 count exhale) and can include mantras.
Resources:
Research Study:
There are games that pay more, there are games that pay less. No matter which game you select, everyone confirms that successful money at an internet on line casino is possible. If you intend to play online blackjack real money you should know some basics and a great blackjack strategy 네온카지노 will improve your winnings. Social casino’s success has an ability to attract an older and non-traditional gaming viewers. A Poker viewers proportion always overlap to that of traditional gamer.
ReplyDelete