Question: What are the actual changes that occur in the body through yoga practice?
Answer:
Yoga does not only make our body flexible. Regular yoga practice brings changes in our body as well as in our mind and nervous system.
Our nervous system controls and communicates with different parts of the body. When we are stressed or feel danger, our body goes into fight-or-flight mode. At that time, heart rate and breathing become faster and muscles become tense.
The opposite of this is the Parasympathetic Nervous System. It is the part of our nervous system which helps the body to relax and recover. It slows down the heart rate, supports digestion and helps the muscles to relax.
Yoga, especially slow breathing, relaxation and meditation, helps the body move towards this relaxed state. With regular practice, we can improve flexibility, strength, breathing, concentration and body awareness. It can also help us manage stress better.
In my classes, I don’t focus only on doing difficult postures. I explain the basic things like how to breathe, how to move, where to feel the stretch and why we are doing a particular practice. This helps a beginner understand yoga instead of simply copying the teacher.
Question: How does yoga activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
Answer:
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is the part of our nervous system that helps our body to relax and recover. You can simply think of it as the body’s rest and recovery system.
Slow and deep breathing is one of the simple ways through which yoga can support this system. For example, in Anulom Vilom, we slowly breathe in and out through alternate nostrils. The breathing is kept slow, comfortable and controlled.
When we slow down our breathing, the body starts becoming calmer. One of the important nerves involved in this process is the Vagus Nerve. It is a long nerve that starts from the brain and travels through the neck towards the chest and abdomen. It helps the brain communicate with organs like the heart and digestive system and is involved in the body’s relaxation response.
So when we practise slow and controlled breathing regularly, it can help us become more relaxed, reduce unnecessary tension and improve our control over breathing.
In my classes, I teach breathing practices like Anulom Vilom step-by-step. I make sure students understand how to breathe, how much effort to use and when not to force the breath. The aim is not just to perform Pranayama, but to understand and experience its effect on the body and mind.