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At Art4Space we often talk about wellbeing and ways to look after ourselves. There are of course so
many ways to do this, and for me personally I try to go to a weekly yoga class. I enjoy going to yoga
classes as a way to de-stress and take some time for myself. Over the years I have been drawn to
teachers who include breathing (pranayama) and meditation practices within the class. It is said that
the ancient yogis believed that our lives are measured in the number of breaths and each person is
allocated a certain number of breaths in their lifetime. Therefore, if a person breathes slowly and
deeply, they are essentially adding more years on to their life. Whether this is something you
believe or not, it is useful to look at how slowing your breathing, which in turn slows your heart rate
would have a positive impact on your body.
Calming breath allows our body to pay attention and heal the areas of our body which are neglected
when we are in the stress mode, when the “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system is mostly in
action. In a stressful situation we become more alert and resources are diverted towards the organs
and muscles that need them more. A degree of stress is certainly not a bad thing, it can make us feel
more alert and energised. It helps to keep us going when we feel tired or have a busy day.
However, it is important to note there are two nervous systems which complement each other. The
Sympathetic nervous system, which is quick to react and there is also its opposite partner the
Parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest and digest neural pathway, which is slow to react.
The Parasympathetic system is stimulated when it is time to rest, eat and recover. This excessive
stimulation in modern life is thought to confuse our nervous system into a stressed state of constant
arousal. Deep breathing helps us to look after the rest and digest nervous system, it increases the
intake of oxygen to the body, the blood and oxygen can nourish all areas of the body, so that all our internal organs gain the nourishment they need. This enables our body systems, such as the
digestive system, to work more effectively.
Different emotions are associated with different forms of breathing – we use fast, shorter breaths at
the top of our chest when we are panicked, stressed or angry which makes our heart rate race.
Whereas we use longer deeper breaths when we are happy, relaxed and calm. Changing how we
breath can directly change how we feel, when we look at it like this, it is an amazing tool that is
available to everyone who wishes to access it. In yoga we often hear about the yogic breath or the
3-part breath which uses the full capacity of the lungs. I have found like anything in life, it takes
time, patience and practice.
Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, can make a
big difference to how we cope and our overall well-being. I have found deep breathing is a great
tool to have and I’ve used it when I’ve needed to stay calm, keep my anxiety at bay and even help
myself get to sleep.
Leah is the Creative Manager at Art4Space and is running a weekly yoga class at the community Arts
Centre on Mondays 5- 6pm, drop in price is £7.
The yoga class starts with a breathing exercise to help you feel grounded before moving onto
stretching and asanas, before ending in relaxation.
