We’ve all heard about the body’s “fight or flight” reaction to dangerous, stressful, or frightening stimuli, and it’s almost always portrayed as bad for our health. Like most things in life however, it’s a matter of perspective. While many of us experience relatively high levels of stress, and could benefit from learning how to relax, and activate the parasympathetic “rest and digest” side of our autonomic nervous system, “fight or flight” isn’t always a bad state to be in.
Of course a bear was chasing us, or we were clinging on to the edge of a cliff to stop ourselves from falling, we could easily understand the need for that boost of adrenaline to save ourselves, but there are more everyday benefits to knowing how to activate the sympathetic side of our autonomic nervous system. Such as –
- Increasing focus when we’re feeling tired
- Getting the body ready for a session of intense exercise
- Increasing alertness and vigilance
All tissues need some stress to work at their best, and too little stress can be just as damaging as too much. This is true for our muscles, our joints, our brains, nerves and all of our other tissues – every single part of us.
Research into the subject has concluded that a time ratio of 80:20 parasympathetic:sympathetic gives the majority of us a healthy balance, but extending the time spent in sympathetic nervous system activation beyond 20% can have detrimental effects on our health and well-being.
That being said, assuming we’re not in danger of exceeding that level, here’s a quick exercise you can do when you need that little extra oomph! Just as we can use our breath as a shortcut to triggering the body’s relaxation response, we can also use it to give us a boost of energy, or a kind of kick-start when we need one.
Kapalabhati – aka Breath of Fire or Shining Skull Breath – uses short explosive exhales and slightly longer, passive inhales. Both the inhale and the exhale are performed through the nose with the mouth gently closed.
Preparation
- Sit on the floor, a cushion or a chair
- Take a deep breath and lift your chest as you lengthen your spine; exhale and stay sitting tall as you relax your shoulders, soften your belly, and rest your hands comfortably on your knees or in your lap
- The exercise begins on the exhale, and the emphasis is on the exhale throughout the practice. The inhale comes almost automatically, an instinctive bodily reaction. As the final stage of preparation, inhale through the nose….
Kapalabhati
- Exhale through the nose forcefully, snapping the belly back towards the spine to help push out the air.
- Aim for approximately one breath per second.
- Allow the inhale to happen on it’s own, concentrating your attention on the exhale.
- After 10 exhales stop and return to a normal breathing pattern for around 20 seconds.
- Repeat for another 10 breaths.
Two rounds of 10 is a good starting point for new practitioners, and this can be increased oval time as long as no ill effects have been experienced.
Interested in learning more about pranayama? Get in touch and we can write you a personalised program to suit your specific needs.
NB// If you have any respiratory or coronary issues, anxiety or panic disorders please do not attempt any kind of energetic or warming pranayama without prior consultation with your doctor or other health professional.
As a side note…
In reality, our autonomic nervous systems have more than just these two settings. Keep an eye on the blog page or sign up for notifications on the Eastern Hope Facebook page for a more in-depth look at this subject – coming soon.