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It’s the bare-minimum Yoga that can, and must, be done by the healthy, the ill and the lazy alike. It takes only 10 minutes of your time, and is perfect for this season
Yoga therapy doctors suggest a short and doable schedule of breathing exercises to do as soon as you wake up in the morning — even while your coffee brews! (Getty)
Much has been said about how starting the day with Yoga practice can power you up and help you deal with stress.
But what if you got a set of exercises specific to this time of the year, when the air is getting heavier with winter vibes? Also, pollution is likely to be the flavour of the next three months — yet again — as the little to no rainfall, impending smog, stubble burning and other factors get together.
Pollution is bad, not just for the respiratory system, but also affects the heart.
And though we can hardly do anything to control external circumstances, thankfully, we have proven ways to make the internal mechanism resilient.
Yoga therapy doctors suggest a short and doable schedule of breathing exercises to do as soon as you wake up in the morning. You could also do it while your coffee brews!
It’s the bare-minimum Yoga that can, and must, be done by the healthy, the ill and the lazy alike. It takes only 10 minutes of your time, and in return you get great energy, efficiency, and clarity. It can change your life over time if you are regular with it.
WHAT THIS BREATHING SCHEDULE DOES FOR YOU
First, let’s see why breathing exercises help. This study ‘Effect of breathing exercises on oxidative stress biomarkers in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis – PMC’ specifically found that “breathing exercises are steady and medium-intensity exercises, which effectively maintain the antioxidant capacity at a high level, enhance the stability of the internal environment, and promote the removal of harmful substances. Breathing exercises enhance the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles to… increase the efficiency of gas exchange”.
The set of breathing exercises outlined here gets the heart pumping, improves blood circulation, increases oxygenation and energises the body and mind with prana, the vital life-force.
The day gets a kickstart as these practices move us from a state of tamas to rajas — from inertia to activity. Last but not least, the nasal passages and sinuses are cleansed, blocked channels of energy are cleared, and the brain and the entire abdomen area get stimulated.
THE THREE BREATHING EXERCISES
Hands in-and-out Breathing (Ten rounds): Stand or sit on a chair with the back straight and feet comfortably apart. Stretch out both arms in front, palms together. Inhaling, slowly move the arms sideways horizontally. Exhaling, slowly bring them back to the starting position.
Hands-stretch Breathing at different angles (Five rounds each): Stand or sit on a chair with the back straight and feet comfortably apart. Interlock the hands and place them on your chest, the shoulder must be relaxed. Breathing in, turn the interlocked palms outward and stretch the arms in front of the chest in a gliding movement. Exhaling, bring the hands back, turn and rest them on the chest, collapse the shoulders and bring the elbow down. This is the 90-degree-angle stretch.
Next, do the 135-degree angle stretch. Inhaling, slowly stretch the arms, with palms interlocked, to a position 135-degrees to the body. This would be slightly above the forehead level.
After five rounds, do the 180-degree stretch. Inhaling, slowly move the interlocked palms and arms to raise them above the head; stretch as much as possible, the palms would be upturned in the final position. Repeat five times and relax.
Ankle-stretch Breathing (Six rounds): Stand comfortably and fix the gaze on a point in front. Place both palms on the front of the thighs. While inhaling, slowly raise the hands above the head, while simultaneously stretching the ankles upwards. While exhaling, slowly bring the hands and heels down. The movements of arms, legs and breathing must all be synchronised.
AND THE TWO PRANAYAMAS
Kapalabhati (Three rounds): Sit comfortably with the back straight and the body relaxed. Contract the abdomen to generate short and forceful exhalations; passive inhalations would follow automatically. Stop after 30 strokes in the first round. In rounds 2 and 3, increase the number of strokes to 40 and 45 respectively. Remember to not exceed your capacity. Do pause between the rounds.
Note: People with heart disease and eye issues can avoid contracting the abdomen and, instead, do a shallow version of Kapalabhati, where only the nostrils move perceptibly.
Full Yogic Breathing involving the Diaphragm, Chest, and Upper Chest (Five rounds): Sit comfortably with the back straight and the body relaxed. Breathing in slowly and continuously, first expand the abdomen; then the rib cage, sideways; finally, the collarbone, upwards. Then exhaling, release the breath in reverse order, emptying first the upper chest, then the ribcage, and then the abdomen.
Finish off this schedule with one minute of sitting calmly, or a chant, or simple meditative practice. Feel that extra energy pervade your being.
(Please Note: This is a testified set of practices, but it is meant to be indicative. Remember to first learn these from a teacher or a reputed Yoga institution. Always take into account your body’s capacity and always do all Yoga practices on an empty stomach.)
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com.
