Everyone knows the nose is for breathing and the mouth for eating. But it would surprise you how many people would rather breathe through their mouth. Probably no one knows or understands the essence of breathing through the nose more than those who practice Yoga.Yoga is a complementary health care tool in reducing stress, anxiety and depression and in lowering blood pressure. It helps as an aid by boosting the breath.
While there are many different styles of yoga today, there is one thing they all have in common. They all incorporate nasal breathing into the movement. Those familiar with this practice will never see someone mouth breathing as seen in traditional exercise classes.
Yoga breathing is called Pranayama which means “to control the breath” or “mastering the life force.”
By design, nasal breathing and mouth breathing facilitate totally different physiological responses in the body. Breathing through the nose activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and mouth breathing encourages the sympathetic nervous system. Your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood.
If your lungs can`t get enough oxygen to your blood, you can feel short of breath, and mouth breathing begins which elevates the heart rate and encourages the release of more sympathetic hormones into oursystem.
Some pioneers in the alternative health industry are revealing that our traditional exercise programs are now adding additional stress to the body.