When we’re upset, stressed, ecstatic, sad, what would be your first reaction to recenter & bring yourself back to your normal state? A big breath! Dr. Patricia Gerbarg, psychiatrist and co-author of “The Healing Power of Breath,” states that “signals from the respiratory system have a top priority over any other signal in your body, especially when there is a sudden change. When you change up your pattern of breathing, you suddenly change up signaling to your brain. As far as we know, [sighing] is the fastest way to deliberately calm down”. You are subconsciously improving lung function, clearing and opening up airways, and infusing more oxygen into the bloodstream, brain, and body. Furthermore, this research claims that if you practice sighing breath work for 5 minutes, can experience reduced anxiety and increased positive emotions. Check out the full Wall Street Journal article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-positive-power-of-a-good-sigh-27e8f0c6

In yoga, we practice intentional breathing throughout the duration of class. Breathing in yoga, can be the most challenging part for some, as you are tuning your movements and breath into each other. Practice is the best way to get better and connect those synapses and muscle memory over time. “Breathing represents a bridge between the conscious and subconscious control of the nervous system” so when we “over-breathe” in times of stress whether that be physical, mental, or emotional, we’re also sending a stress signal to our brains. By taking a few sighing breaths, we can literally reset our system and recalibrate our breathing, and in turn, our minds. Taking up yoga can assist in this “system reset” in so many ways- whether you’re taking a power class to match up breath and movement, or you’re in a meditative class where you’re intentionally deep breathing, yoga can help that regulation. We are designed to self-regulate our systems, and we can rely on our bodies to keep us grounded and level headed.

Ready to recalibrate your system? Book a class today! https://www.titaniumyoga.com/#pickLocationModal