Even an analytical person like me was convinced when I cured my severe anxiety and depression with regular breathing techniques and meditation practices, and I devoted myself to studying and applying the scientific side of this work for years.

What I learnt always came as a serious surprise... I could never have imagined that breathing could affect our lives to such an extent. I am sure that most of you reading this article do not know this as I once did.

Body-Mind Medicine and Wellbeing practices, which we can call New Age Medicine and which is developing rapidly in the world, will undoubtedly be one of the most popular and fastest developing topics in the coming years, especially after the pandemic. 

So what exactly does it mean? It means just that;

The seemingly simplest choices you make in your daily life are the main determinants of all your physiological systems with a chain reaction, especially your immune system and central nervous system in the long run.

The direct link between our breath and our overall health

 In other words, your overall health, happiness, balance and energy source are directly related to your daily routines. The science of epigenetics provides a very clear explanation;

Yes, according to the science of epigenetics, which has become a star of our century, our lifestyle is the most important determinant of health and mind-body balance.

 In short, being better and happier does not depend on our genetic heritage, but entirely on our own choices. In other words, it is entirely within our control to begin and continue our 'healthy and good ageing process' through the conscious choices we make for our body and mind in our daily lives.

So where does our breath fit in?

It is at the very foundation!

And why is that?

Because today an average of 95% of the 45,000 diseases defined by Western medicine are caused by stress. So if you cannot manage your stress in your daily life, you are opening the door to all sorts of illnesses in the long run. 

Here, controlled and rhythmic breathing exercises based on the science of yoga, which you integrate into your daily life like brushing your teeth, discipline the amygdala, the most primitive organ in our body that responds to stress. 

And after about 6 weeks of regular practice, the amygdala starts not to have that response that triggers the release of stress hormones in the body in the face of events that used to make you upset, angry, very stressed.

And the result: Optimally regulated body functions as a result of a calmer, more balanced, clearer mind.

In order to establish homeostasis, the body's own balance, the messages from the respiratory system are prioritised over the signals sent to the brain from all our tissues and cells at any one time. In a nutshell, this means ;
By changing the breathing rhythms, we can instantly (!) change the signals going to the brain, and then automatically, in a cascading manner, make decisive changes in all the functions of the body, especially the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system (digestive system), the endocrine system (hormonal system).

I would like to list the benefits of pranayama, controlled and rhythmic breathing exercises based on the science of yoga, inhaled through the nose and proven by internationally respected scientific institutions as a result of daily practice;

►    Improves symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
►    Normalises the patient's brain waves
►    Helps people with various addiction problems
►    Reduces stress hormone cortisol
►    Improves sleep patterns 
►    Improves general sense of peace and well-being
►    Increases serum prolactin, the "feel good hormone
►    In the long term, as effective as standard antidepressants
►    Improves the limbic system

scientifically proven.

Be yourself, close your mouth before you inhale and exhale in your daily life and add breathing exercises, called pranayama in the terminology based on the science of yoga, to your daily life regularly for 5-10 minutes every day, like I do.

Ebru Şinik | Wellbeing Coach & Ayurveda Instructor