Pranayama - The Importance of Breathing (Taken from an article written by Jenni Bagus)

One of the Five Principles of Yoga is Pranayama or Breathing Exercise which promotes proper breathing. The importance of an adequate oxygen supply is why these perfected various Breathing Techniques have been developed that will help revitalized the mind and body.

Pranayama - the science of breath control, consist of a series of exercises intended to meet these needs and to keep the body in vibrant health. Proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control prana or the vital life of energy. These techniques have also proved to help the prevention of major diseases and cure minor illnesses.

Breathing is important for two basic reasons:

• It is the only means of supplying our bodies and its various organs with oxygen which is vital for our health.
• Breathing is one of the ways to get rid of waste products and toxins from our body.

Why oxygen is so vital?

• Oxygen is the most vital nutrient in our bodies.
• It is essential for the proper and efficient functioning of the brain, nerves, glands and other internal organs.
• We can survive without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen we will die within a few minutes.
• If the brain does not get proper supply of this essential nutrient, it will cause degradation of all the vital organs of the body.
• The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ. If it doesn't get enough, the results is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts, depression and, eventually, vision and hearing declines. Oxygen supply in our body, however, declines as we get older and if we live a poor lifestyle.

One of the major secrets of energy and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. The Breathing Exercises described in this website are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with extra oxygen. So here are a few things about what oxygen do to our body:

• Oxygen recharges the body's batteries (the solar plexus)
• Most of our energy requirements come, not from food, but from the air we breathe.
• By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind.
• Rejuvenation of the skin will start to occur.
• Scientists have discovered that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). If something goes wrong with the production of ATP, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature aging.
• Scientist have also discovered that oxygen is critical for the production of ATP;  in fact, it is the most vital component.
• The work done at Baylor University in the USA has shown that you can reverse Arterial Disease in monkeys by infusing oxygen into the diseased arteries.
• Pranayama permits us to tap into this vital nutrient.

Importance of Healthy Breathing

We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs automatically, spontaneously, and naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. For example:

• We tend to assume positions such as slouching that diminishes lung capacity to function properly, which result to shortened breaths.
• We live in social conditions that are not good for the health of our Respiratory System.
• A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends to lean forward, draw his arms together, and bend his head down, All these body postures result to reduced lung capacity, However, we also tend to have some bad habits that affect our breathing and here are a few reasons.
• As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more demanding;  we develop habits of forgetting to breathe.
• The more we concentrate on something, the tenser the muscles become, This leads to the contraction of the muscles in your arms, neck and chest.

As we go through life, bad breathing habits we picked up become part of our lives. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we can suffer permanent problems. The good news is that these are reversible. The bad news is that before we can change these habits, we should recognize and accept that our behavior needs to be changed. This means that we see for ourselves the benefits of good Breathing Techniques. 

Deep Breathing Exercises and stretching of muscles, especially those primarily concerned with controlling inhalation and exhalation, should be sought. Participation in active sports will also be useful. Going for a walk is very good. For those experiencing restricted breathing at night, morning exercises should be actively pursued. 

The Effects of Shallow Breathing

• Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the body.
• Susceptibility to diseases. Resistance to disease is reduced since oxygen is essential for healthy cells. 
• With our 'normal' sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung capacity.This is sufficient to survive and just tick over, but not sufficient for a high vitality level, long life and high resistance to disease.
• Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. When an acute circulation blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, this will result to heart attack while a stroke is the result of poor oxygen supply in the brain.
• Scientists have known for a long time that there exists a strong connection between Respiration and Mental States. Improper breathing produces diminished mental ability. The outcome is true also. It is known that mental tensions produce restricted breathing.

Importance of Breathing through the Nose

The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. This may seem obvious, but many people breathe principally through the mouth.  Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the Thyroid Gland, and can retard the mental development of children.

Pathogens can also enter the lungs through mouth breathing that makes it impossible to be healthy. It is easy to break the habit of breathing through the mouth. Just keep your mouth closed and you will automatically breathe through your nose. 

The nose has various defense mechanisms to prevent impurities and excessively cold air entering the body. At the entrance to the nose, a screen of hairs traps dust, tiny insects and other particles that may injure the lungs if you breath through the mouth. After the entrance of the nose, there is a long winding passage lined with mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught. 

In the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacilli which have slipped through the other defenses. The inner nose also contains the olfactory organ-our sense of smell. This detects any poisonous gasses around that may injure our health. The Yogis believe that the olfactory organ has another function: the absorption of Prana from the air.

Therefore, Yoga proves to have beneficial effect on the body if done with proper breathing. However, proper breathing should also be practiced and must be done habitually.