Exploring the Effects of Pranayama on Brain Function

Introduction

The old breathing technique performed during yoga is called the Pranayama. Pranayama involves breath control in different lengths and styles. It has more health benefits. By doing Pranayama, one can control the mind through breathing. It can control the inner power of Prana. It helps in improving physical and mental well-being. Pranayama helps detoxify and purify the body and mind.

What Is Pranayama?

The control of breath is called pranayama. Pranayama helps in elevating power in the body, mind, and spirit. There are eight limbs of yoga. Pranayama is considered the fourth limb of yoga. Pranayama focuses on the respiratory process while connecting the breath, mind, and emotions. Pranayama can be practiced in any type of environment with various breathing exercises. It can also be incorporated with various yoga asanas. Pranayama can be included in daily activities, during physical exercises, or in stressful conditions, which helps in improving the health challenges like insomnia or sleeplessness. There are three faces in the Pranayama cycle - inhalation through both or one nostril (or Puraka), retention holding the breath inside the body (or Kumbhaka), and exhalation through mouth or nose (or Rechaka).

Which Are the Traditions That Practice Pranayama?

The six traditions or styles that practice Pranayama include the following -

1. Integral Yoga - Integral yoga includes several movements or poses along with meditation.

2. Kripalu - Creates awareness and sensitivity.

3. Ashtanga - Combining different poses, breathing techniques, and attention.

4. Iyengar - Creates power and precision.

5. Viniyoga - Develop personalized practice.

6. Kundalini - Combines Mudra or hand gestures, Mantras or different voice forms, and breathing techniques.

Which Are the Types of Pranayama?

Depending on the length and duration of each breath, Pranayama is classified into the following -

• Bhastrika Pranayama - Bhastrika Pranayama is also called bellow breath, which increases energy levels by increasing appetite and digestion.

• Kapal Bhati Pranayama - This Pranayama is practiced for detoxifying the body and increasing lung capacity. It is also called the skull-shining technique.

• Nadi Shodhan Pranayama - This Pranayama will help align the mind to the center by combining the left and right sides of the brain. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This method is also called the alternate nostril technique.

• Bhramari Pranayama - This Pranayama help in calming the mind and reducing emotions. It is also called bee breath.

What Are the Benefits of Pranayama?

The benefits of Pranayama include the following -

• Increase the Capacity of the Lungs - Pranayama help increase the lungs' capacity by expanding the chest wall and strengthening the muscles present in the respiratory system. Fast breathing Pranayama techniques like Bhastrika Pranayama and Kapalbhati Pranayama help expand and contract the respiratory muscles rapidly, which helps in improving the functions of the lungs. Pranayama can help increase the respiratory rate, time of holding the breath, vital capacity, and pressure of inspiration and expiration. Pranayama relieves people with asthma, bronchial inflammation, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc. It also helps in increasing oxygen levels and activating the diaphragm muscles.

• Reduces Stress - Pranayama help in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and other emotions by increasing the calmness of the mind and body. Deep or slow Pranayama breathing techniques activate the diaphragm muscles. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system by reducing stress and anxiety. it allows the flow of oxygen to the body and brain, thereby improving the calmness of the nerve, which improves the functions of the vital organs.

• Improves Concentration - The Pranayama breathing technique is one of the most excellent exercises to improve concentration and sharpening of memory. By paying attention to breathing patterns and styles, concentration can be improved. Pranayama helps stimulate the cerebral cortex and other parts of the brain, which help in attention, memory, awareness, and consciousness. While paying attention to the breath, these areas are activated and help improve concentration.

• Helps in Boosting the Immune System - Pranayama help in boosting the immune system. It involves diaphragmatic breathing, which will activate the entire digestive system. During stress, the immune system's ability to resist toxins and other infections will be reduced. Pranayama helps in reducing stress and boosting the immune system. Deep breaths help in more concentration of oxygen in the blood, and it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby reducing stress.

• Reduce High Blood Pressure - Pranayama help in cooling and calming effect on the mind and the body and thereby reducing high blood pressure. It helps reduce the heart rate, dilating the blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure. Pranayama helps in reducing both systolic and diastolic pressure.

• Improving Digestion - Pranayama help increases the supply of oxygen to the gastrointestinal tract, thereby helping digestion. Increased oxygen supply will create more blood flow and thereby increase the intestine's strength, improving absorption and digestion. Diaphragmatic breathing help in activating the muscles of the abdomen, and it reduces the tension in the muscles of the digestive organs. It can also help manage diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

• Increases Brain Functions - Yoga asana, meditation techniques, and different breathing techniques help improve the brain's activity and the volume of grey matter in the amygdala and activate the frontal cortex. Pranayama helps increase the capacity of the brain. It will increase the transfer of nanoparticle through the blood-brain barrier to the brain and washes away unwanted toxic materials entered from the polluted environment. Breathing through one nostril increases oxygen in the opposite part of the brain.

What Are the Neurophysiological Effects of Pranayama?

Pranayama, or controlled breathing, helps induce the mind to a meditative state which will help in reducing stress, depression, anger, anxiety, and other emotional factors. It helps increase lung capacity and respiration and helps relieve many diseases or health conditions like decreasing blood pressure. Breathing through the nasal cavity creates a synchronization pattern that helps in improving sleep patterns which helps support the overall well-being of the mind and the body. The asymmetrical flow of air through the nasal cavity (breathing through only one nostril due to blockage of the other nostril) can create asymmetry in brain activity. Increased respiration rates are linked to amygdala activation during anxiety or fear. They will have a modulatory effect on the activity of neurons in the neuro cortex linking breathing to cognitive processes. Pranayama has a positive effect on the cardiorespiratory system and also can affect systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Conclusion

Yogic breathing or Pranayama helps in reducing stress, depression, anger, grief, and anxiety and improving mood throughout the day. It will help in getting a stronger connection between the mind and body. Pranayama helps control and modify the amount and quality of oxygen flow to different organs in the body. It helps in improving all parts of the body and mind.