Breathe to nourish.
Breath is, arguably, more important than food and water, simply because of the fact that we can only go so many minutes without it.
In yogic philosophy and tradition, the breath, called prana, is equivalent to our life-force energy. The breath not only nourishes us but also animates us, from the moment we take that very first sip of breath in, up until the moment that we take that very final breath out.
It's also said that we each only have so many breaths granted to us in a lifetime, the sages and gurus of yoga often reminding students to never waste them through rushing or over-breathing, with the ideal breathing rate right around 5-6 breaths per minute, translating roughly into 5.5-second inhales and exhales.
In yoga, this even-cadenced breathing is known as sama vritti pranayama. In the “evidence-based” wellness world, this specific pattern is known as, again, the ideal resonance frequency of the breath, and is often referred to as coherent breathing.
Whatever you prefer to call it - but I do think it is important to acknowledge that yogic tradition has understood all of this centuries before science caught up - this slow, deliberate, and rhythmic breathing is incredibly efficient at balancing and calming the nervous system, raising heart rate variability, decreasing blood pressure, and boosting mood all while nourishing our bodies, brains, organs, muscles, and cells.
Simple yet powerful!
Sama vritti pranayama can be practiced anywhere - inhaling for a 5-6 count, exhaling for a 5-6 count - the goal being to find a cadence that feels effortless and easeful for you. I use this often in my daily life!
If you’d like to carve out a little more time for this breathwork - which I’d especially recommend if you’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out - practice your coherent breathing along with this 10-minute YouTube video that features gentle, soothing notes that follow the ideal resonance frequency of the breath (5.5-second inhales & exhales).
I love to set myself up in a supported savasana then hit play!
You’ll simply breathe along with the sound of the notes, you can even watch the visual as you begin, but feel free to relax and close your eyes if that’s more comfortable. When you hear the higher-pitched note, slowly breathe in, when you hear the lower-pitched note, gently let the breath go…
Slow down, recalibrate, and indulge in the nourishment of your breath!
Hope this is helpful. Keep showing up!
References + Continued Reading:
Steffen PR, Austin T, DeBarros A, Brown T. The Impact of Resonance Frequency Breathing on Measures of Heart Rate Variability, Blood Pressure, and Mood. Front Public Health. 2017 Aug 25;5:222. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00222. PMID: 28890890; PMCID: PMC5575449.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575449/
Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 Sep 7;12:353. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353. PMID: 30245619; PMCID: PMC6137615.
Coherent Breathing: Overview, Benefits, and Effectiveness. The Human Condition.