Pranayama (Breathwork) and the Peripheral Nervous System
Pranayama is known as the art of breathing. In yogic practices, breathwork is used to control and manipulate the life force (prana) through a variety of breathing techniques. Many have the misconception of what breathwork is and the benefits of how this practice helps with our peripheral nervous system.
Pranayama has to do with both our physical breath and the mechanics of the breath and much more. It involves all systems of the body, including cardiovascular, circulatory, pulmonary, endocrine, digestive, and lymphatic systems. Having a strong pranayama practice will produce a healthy immune system and create more resistance to dis-ease.
One big misconception about breathwork is that it is often believed to be a form of meditation. However, meditation is a higher state of being whereas breathwork is the act of withdrawing the senses. There are many ways in which this can be achieved.
Coming into a seated position and closing the eyes,
Placing a candle in front of you to allow your gaze to focus on the flame,
Scanning your body and shifting your awareness from one point to another,
Counting each inhalation and exhalation.
There are many more varieties in which to practice pranayama, but the aim is to bring awareness to a finite point and withdraw your attention from the other senses.
Peripheral Nervous System and Pranayama
The peripheral nervous system is part of the nervous system that exists outside of the brain and spinal cord. There are two major roles the PNS has in the practice of pranayama. First, is the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This system is responsible for main functions within the body: 1) control the autonomic body functions (vital organs) without us noticing, 2) controls the somatic body functions (motor movements), 3) aids in digestion, and 4) relays sensory information to the central nervous system. It helps us to heal, refresh, and restart.
Second is the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This is designed to keep us alive. Have you ever heard of the fight, flight, and freeze response when we our brains identify and believe that we might be in a dangerous situation? Our SNS automatically activates when needed. We would never want our SNS to be in control because we would be in a constant state of hyperarousal. During our daily activities, our SNS is stimulated and ready to help us respond rather than react to stimuli. Oftentimes, we fall into patterns of reaction rather than response due to perceptions and verbalizations that are misinterpreted.
Improving Well-Being with Pranayama
Pranayama allows us to calm and control patterns that lead to reactive impulses. By practicing breathwork, we can observe our thoughts without judgement, and by avoiding attraction and aversion to situations, we become neutral witnesses to the experiences around us. This gives us the ability to condition our SNS to increase and heighten attention, become more present, and respond rather than react creating dramatic shifts within our well-being.
People who participate in pranayama practice daily tend to see an increase in sense of realization, confidence, strength, security, and wholeness. These results are directly related to conditioning the SNS and creating balance between the SNS and PNS. When incorporating breathwork into other forms of healthy practices (e.g., yoga) it can help us to reboot and recharge, thus allowing the SNS and the PNS to carefully balance both systems where they can support and complement one another.