We have all been through situations where our bad moods get the better of us and we feel totally out of control when it comes to regulating our emotions. Bad moods can make us feel irritable, critical, anxious and cranky and this can have a heavy effect on our bearing and disposition. We can even shout on others and experience anger without any apparent reason. In some cases, we may even start crying at the drop of a hat. It is a well-known fact that the frustration associated with bad moods can completely drain our energy and make it difficult for us to have positive moods. Many people find it extremely difficult to get rid of their bad moods. However, with proper control of breathing, it is perfectly possible for a person to have complete control of their moods. This can also help them to resolve bad moods even before they arise.
When you cultivate a greater awareness of your breathing, you can easily have greater control over your moods so that stress and anxiety cannot bother you in any way. In many cases, excessive thinking can lead to negative moods and this is something that you can resolve by controlled breathing. Throughout the centuries, many mystics, sages, yogis and saints have used controlled breathing to enhance their inner bliss and remove negative moods completely.
How breathing is related to the state of mind
When performed in the right manner, breathing exercises can help us to regulate our emotions, thoughts, and moods. People always tend to breathe deeply at regular time intervals when they are experiencing good moods. The depth of their breathing process actually helps them to relax completely. On the other hand, if a person is experiencing bad moods, he or she is definitely going to breathe shallow and this is definitely going to make it hard for the body and the muscles to relax. So when you pay special attention to your breathing, you can transform your bad moods into good ones easily. Hence most yoga schools teach their students to be consciously aware of their breathing.
Techniques to improve your moods through breathing
The yogic breathing activities given here, to improve your state of mind will intentionally change/control the breath and will make our mind consistent, engaged and quiet.
For kids yoga instructors: Children beyond nine years old have more attention to their breath and can start rehearsing yogic breathing activities which include controlling the breath.
Pranayama
Pranayama is a breathing procedure that can aid you to maintain a proper balance of your physical and energy bodies. When you practice pranayama regularly, it can help you to get rid of bad moods and experience positivity at all times. The right nostril is associated with the left hemisphere of the brain that has the sun or solar energy. The left nostril is related to the right hemisphere of the brain which is the seat of the moon or lunar energy. By practicing pranayama, you can attain a balance between these two energies and this can eradicate bad moods completely.
Deep Breathing
Breathing deeply is one of the most effective ways to achieve calmness of the mind and improve moods. This can actually help you to fill your body with the most positive vibrations so that your bad moods can go away.
Breathing through alternate nostrils
As indicated by yoga, this change between the two nostrils assists with keeping the parity in our body. The right-sided nostril, associated with the left-cerebrum, is considered to convey the sun vitality; the masculine vibes and energy. The left nostril, associated with the right-mind, outfits the moon vitality; the feminine vibes and energy.
At the point when we inhale through just a single nostril for quite a while, an unevenness is made and we begin feeling either progressively apprehensive and nervous (if the right nostril is predominant), or increasingly on anxious and stressed (if the left nostril is prevailing).
Balancing breathing through both nostrils alternatively works as a precaution drug since it assists with keeping a normal and agreeable stream between the two nostrils. This gives you benefits of both the masculine and feminine energy that too in a balanced form.
How to do it?
- Sit up in a cross-legged position with a relaxed posture, spine straight. Then using the right thumb press the right nostril to block it. Breathe in gradually and deeply through your left nostril.
- Using the thumb and index finger close both the nostrils and hold the breath for a few seconds as long as you are comfortable.
- Open your right nostril, keeping your left nostril closed with the index finger, and breathe out gradually and completely.
- Breathe in through your right nostril gradually and profoundly.
- Close the two nostrils and hold your breath for whatever length of time that agreeable.
- Open your left nostril, keeping the right one closed with your thumb, and breathe out gradually. This is one round.
- Practice 3-5 rounds. In the event that holding the breath is unreasonably hard for the kids, skip stages 2 and 5.