5 Breathing Practices to Calm a Busy Day in KL
Traffic, deadlines, notifications. When the day speeds up, your breath is the quickest way to slow down. Here are five simple practices you can do almost anywhere.
In yoga, working with the breath is called pranayama. You don't need a mat or a quiet room to begin. Each of these five practices takes between one and five minutes, and you can try them at your desk, before a meeting or before bed.
Practise sitting comfortably, breathing gently through the nose if you can. If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and breathe normally. If you're pregnant or have a heart, lung or blood pressure condition, check with your doctor before trying new breathing exercises.
1. Belly breathing
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose and let your belly rise under your hand, keeping the chest fairly still. Breathe out and feel the belly fall. Continue for two to three minutes.
Good for: a quick reset at your desk.
2. The longer exhale
Breathe in for a count of four, then breathe out for a count of six. Keep it smooth rather than forced. Making the out-breath longer than the in-breath is a simple way to help your body slow down.
Good for: before a meeting, a difficult conversation or sleep.
3. Three-part breath
Breathe in and fill the belly, then the ribs, then the upper chest. Breathe out in reverse: chest, ribs, belly. Take your time with each part. Five to ten rounds is plenty.
Good for: feeling more spacious when you feel tight or tense.
4. Alternate nostril breathing
- Rest your left hand in your lap. Bring your right thumb to your right nostril and your ring finger near your left nostril.
- Close the right nostril and breathe in through the left.
- Close the left, open the right, and breathe out through the right.
- Breathe in through the right, close it, then breathe out through the left.
- That's one round. Continue for three to five minutes, keeping the breath soft.
Good for: settling a busy mind.
5. Ujjayi, the ocean breath
Breathe in and out through the nose while gently narrowing the back of the throat, as if you were fogging up a mirror with your mouth closed. You'll hear a soft, ocean-like sound. It's the breath used throughout an Ashtanga practice.
Good for: staying focused and steady, on or off the mat.
Making it a habit
Pick one practice and attach it to something you already do: your first coffee, parking the car, or brushing your teeth at night. A minute a day is a good start.
When the city speeds up, slow down your breath.
Learn it with a teacher
Breath is at the heart of every class at Sukahati Yoga, from Hatha to Mysore-style Ashtanga, and pranayama and meditation are part of our practice. If you'd like guidance, see our classes and passes, or message us on WhatsApp.
