Stress can take a huge toll on our body and health especially if we are not returning to a state of regulation after the stressful situation is over.
These breathwork exercises are wonderful tools to use to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and help bring you back to a state of regulation. They can be used throughout your day, on your lunch break or even at your desk. They are also great to add to your nighttime routine as a way to wind down after your day.
What Happens when Stress is Activated in our body?
When we are in a stressed state the sympathetic branch of our nervous system is activated and this sets off a release of cortisol into our body, getting us ready to fight or flee. After the stressful situation is over, the parasympathetic branch of our nervous system is activated which brings us back to a state of relaxation. But sometimes we can get stuck in stress mode and we need some help in coming back to regulation. These Kundalini yogic breathwork exercises all activate the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us back to a more regulated state.
A Note on Kundalini Yoga Breathing
Kundalini yoga breathing involves Belly Breathing. Practice this by inhaling into our belly first and then into our chest. We then exhale from the chest first and then from the belly. On the inhale we are breathing deeply, filling ourself up with breath and on the exhale we fully expel the breath. Both the inhale and exhale are done through the nose unless directed otherwise.
I mention this as it refers to the breathwork practices here today in this post.
Always Keep This In Mind
If you’re new to breathwork practices or it’s been a while since you did one, take it slow and always check in with yourself, everything written here are suggestions to the exercises and are wonderful tools to use but your body knows what’s best for you so always listen to yourself first. You can always take the exercise slow or cut the time or the amount of breaths so it works for you and over time build up your tolerance.
3 Kundalini Yoga Breathwork Exercises for Stress
1) Long Deep Breathing
Long Deep Breathing is something you’ll hear often in a Kundalini yoga class. It’s one of Kundalini yoga’s foundational pranayama’s and you can be called to use it during some meditations and asanas.
This breathwork practice stimulates the vagus nerve which then activates the parasympathetic nervous system, our rest and digest part of our nervous system. This soothes the nervous system and brings you back to a more regulated state.
We are breathing deeply into the lungs and it’s this that gets into the alevoli sacks and clears out any toxin build up that resides in our lungs.
Yes, Long Deep Breathing is a good one to practice. Give it a try.
How to practice Long Deep Breathing:
- Sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine
- Close your eyes
- Take a few moments to notice your natural breath
- Begin to slow your inhale, making it long & deep through the nose
- Breathe into your belly, filling your belly first then your chest
- When you’re full of breath, Slowly begin to exhale through your nose
- Exhale long and slowly from your chest first and then from your belly
- Expel all the breathe fully before beginning the inhale again
- Continue for 1-3 mins
2) 8 Stroke Breath
8 Stroke Breath is one of my all-time favourite breathwork exercises. It is easy to do and you can use it anytime you feel some of that in the moment stress. It’s also great for a little reset throughout your day. I use this breath everyday to reset myself and it is a great addition to my night time/wind down routine as this breath releases the day’s stress away. I even use it when I wake during the night and I’m finding it difficult falling back to sleep, it always sends me back to sleep.
Try it for yourself and see how it works for you.
How to practice 8 Stroke Breath:
The steps below are for practicing this breath as a meditation but you can use the breath on it’s own whenever you need it. If 8 strokes are unavailable to you starting out, you can use 4 strokes and over time work your way up to 8 strokes if you feel called to.
- Sit in a comfortable seated position with a straight spine.
- Close your eyes.
- Take a few moments to settle in and focus on your natural breath.
- When you’re ready, Breathe in through the nose in 8 equal strokes.
- Exhale fully through the nose in one powerful stroke.
- Continue for 3-11 minutes.
- To End: Keeping the eyes closed, Inhale fully through the nose, hold the breath for 5 seconds, exhale fully through the nose. Inhale again through the nose, hold the breath for 10-20 seconds while rolling your shoulders, exhale fully through the nose. Inhale fully again, hold for 10-20 seconds while rolling your shoulders as fast as you can, exhale fully.
- Relax. Stay seated with eyes closed in a meditative state or lie down for shavasana.
3) Alternate Nostril Breathing
Alternate Nostril Breathing is another great breathwork practice to release stress, anxiety and overwhelm. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, our rest and digest part of our autonomic nervous system and this is what puts us into a more regulated state.
This breath can be practiced anytime you need a refresh and can be used as part of your daily/night time routine.
How to practice Alternate Nostril Breathing:
- Sit in a comfortable seated position with a straight spine
- Using your right hand, close off the left nostril with your index finger, inhale slowly and fully through the right nostril
- Close the right nostril with your thumb, exhale slowly and fully through your left nostril
- Keeping the right nostril closed, inhale slowly and fully through the left nostril
- Close the left nostril as before, exhale slowly and fully through the right nostril
- Inhale through the right nostril
- Close the right nostril as before, exhale through the left nostril
- Inhale through the left nostril
- Repeat the sequence for 1-3 mins
- To end: Release nostrils and breathe naturally through the nose
Ok, here is a little bonus breath exercise you can try.
Bonus Breath exercise: Long Exhale Breathing
Long Exhale Breathing is a simple and effective breath exercise that can be done anytime you need a reset throughout your day. It can also be used as part of your daily/night time routine or as a reminder to check in with yourself throughout your day to get centered again.
When we breathe in our sympathetic nervous system is activated. This is our fight – flight response part of our nervous system. When we breathe out our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, this is our rest and digest response part of our nervous system.
Long Exhale Breathing has a longer exhale than the inhale and it’s this that activates the paraysmpathetic nervous system making us more regulated and centered.
How to practice Long Exhale Breathing:
- Inhale through your nose to a count of 4
- Hold the breath for 2 beats
- Exhale through your nose to the count of 8
Counting is to get you focused on your breath and to ensure that the exhale is longer than the inhale. Breathing with the longer exhale for any amount of time is perfect, I’m using 4 and 8 as an example.
Bonus Tip: Hum as you exhale and notice any changes that happen in your body. One long Hum on the exhale. Enjoy! 🙂
Sat Nam
Heather xox
If you’re new to Kundalini yoga and you’re wondering what the heck it is, I’ve created a Free Beginners Guide to Kundalini yoga and here I explain things like, why we tune in, what’s the deal with all the white and there’s a traditional class breakdown in there as well plus more topics. This will leave you not wondering what’s going on the next time you find yourself in a Kundalini yoga class. Get your free copy here.