I’ve written several posts about pranayama, the fourth limb of yoga, the practice or control (yama) of life force (prana), basically breathing techniques or exercises. I’ve posted about Dirgha or 3 Part Breath, Samavrtti or Equal Breath, Ujjayi or Victorious Breath/Ocean Breath, and Sitali or Cooling Breath. In those posts I have mentioned that I believe that all of us are familiar with the idea that you can take a breath to calm down or to slow down. I believe that most of us understand that a breath can do those things. Well, I am thinking there are other studies and papers out there that talk about how breath can help with physical changes, but I recently made note of very small study done in 2001 by a group of professors and physicians in Italy. Their report concluded that “Rhythm formulas that involve breathing at six breaths per minute induce favourable psychological and possibly physiological effects.”
The report mentions reciting Ave Maria in Latin, yoga chants, or the rosary. These recitations caused a rhythmic breathing that equaled six breaths per minute. And 10 second breaths or six breaths per minute were the key to a consistent heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity.
A consistent heart rate variability can be a sign of good health as could baroreflex sensitivity. The heart rate variability/HRV is “a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat”1. The baroreflex is “(or baroreceptor reflex) is one of the body’s homeostatic mechanisms that helps to maintain blood pressure at nearly constant levels.”2
So, this is just another small confirmation that pranayamas can help counter the stress we all face every day. The specific type of breathing that is consistent and rhythmic allowing for a ten second/6-breath-per-minute breath. You could do a 4-1-4-1 Samavrtti type of pranayama, where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 1, exhale for 4, and hold for one. That would total 10 seconds. Or you could do that same type of count with the Ujjayi breath.
The report just acts as a guide to possibly help one decide on a length of breath. Just another tool to help us in our yoga practice or our daily lives.
Do you ever find yourself taking a calming breath? Do you ever use breathing techniques? Is pranayama part of your yoga practice?
1-https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/heart-rate-variability-new-way-track-well-2017112212789
2-https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroreflex
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