Yoga and Breathwork to Balance the Nervous System

Yoga poses and their corresponding patterns of breath work are integral in regulating the central nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is often described as "fight or flight," and the parasympathetic nervous system is the "rest or digest state" in which it regulates the basic functions of the body working as they should.

Exactly how you are breathing provides a window into your current energetic state: Shallow, labored breaths, such as those during a difficult workout, indicate an activated, heated sympathetic nervous system (your fight-flight-freeze response). Conversely, deep, slow breaths, such as those in corpse pose or while meditating, stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system response. This will ease you into the cooling “rest and digest’’ state. 

Try this mindful breathing exercise:

• Take a moment to check in with yourself.
• Sit in stillness and observe, without judgment, how each inhalation and exhalation feels. What physical sensations are you experiencing?
• Next, fully breathe in and out, allowing your body to completely exchange outgoing carbon dioxide with incoming refreshing oxygen.
• This anchors your focus to the present moment so you can receive the full benefits of breathwork.

Pairing mindful breathing with specific yoga postures can help to reduce the activation of your sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s response to a perceived threat. Deep breaths taken in to a count of five seconds, held for two seconds and released to a count of five seconds can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps reduce the overall stress and anxiety you may be experiencing.

Focusing on breathing can soothe reactive bodies and minds. This, in turn, creates a calmer state of being by promoting faster recovery from the dramatic fluctuations that nervous systems experience. These yoga practices are also necessary for maintaining a healthy immune system and optimal respiratory function. Here, some other ideas on how to integrate wellness into all areas of your life.

Poses for a Good Night’s Rest

Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)

• Lie on the back, bending knees up in the air toward the chest. 
• Place arms in a cactus shape around the ears, pressing the back of the shoulder blades and arms gently down into the mat. 
• Drop bent knees to one side; rotate head and neck to the opposite shoulder if desired.
• Hold for several rounds of breath; then, switch sides.

Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall)

• Lie down on your side, placing the tailbone and glutes as close to the wall as possible. 
• Flip to lie on your back, extending straight legs upward with the back of your legs supported by the wall. 
• A rolled-up blanket can be placed on top of the feet, and/or you can use a block or pillow on the low belly to create a deeper sense of feeling grounded.

Utthita Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Half-Leg Pigeon Pose)

• Start either on hands and knees or in downward dog. Bend and bring one knee forward, placing shin on the ground at a diagonal angle. You can place a block or pillow under your hip for extra support in order to help you release deeper into the stretch. 
• Extend through your elongated back leg to deepen the stretch in the hamstrings. 
• Gently walk your hands forward. Lower elbows to rest forearms on the mat. 
• Switch sides to repeat on the opposite hip. 

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Crystal Fenton is a freelance journalist and E-RYT-200 YACEP yoga instructor.