Blood Pressure & Pranayama

Blood pressure is affected by pranayama, or controlled breathing exercises, which can help manage high blood pressure by stimulating the body's relaxation response and counteracting the effects of stress. Scientific studies show that regular practice can lead to a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, making it a helpful complementary therapy alongside medical treatment.

Supine Practice- (2-blanket setup, see below)

This basic supine setup requires two blankets, one to elevate the spine and the other as a pillow. When you lie over this setup, sit in front of the vertical blanket and allow the blanket to hit your lower rib cage.

Ujjayi Pranayama

Ujjayi means "upward" or "expanding," with a sense of preeminence and power.  In Ujjayi, the lungs are fully expanded, the chest thrust out like a great warrior.

Ujjayi- Attentive Breaths

1. Lie down with the back ribs and head supported on the setup above, forehead higher than the chin, and gaze towards the heart.

2. Observe the flow of breath as you inhale and exhale, evenly filling the lungs.

3. Restrict the throat by bringing the chin towards the chest (Jalandhara Bandha).

4. Gently draw the abdomen up and back on the inhalations and exhalations.

5. Listen to the sound of the breath in the inner ear, be attentive

6. Practice for 3 minutes to start.

Effects: Brings attentiveness and calmness, invigorates the nerves, and loosens hardness in the lungs.

Seated Practice

Ujjayi- One Plus One Breaths

1.     Sit on a prop so the inner groins release, thighs descend, and spin naturally lifts.

2.    Bring your attention to your breathing, inhale, let the chest lift, then keep the lift, exhale, and drop the chin to the chest (Jalandhara Bandha).

3.    Slightly increase your inhalations and exhalations, finding the breath touching the pelvic floor up to the top of the collarbones.

4.    Next, take a smooth, soft inhalation, pause the breath at the top of the chest, and exhale and extend the breath twice as long as the inhalation.

5.    Do 5-8 rounds and go back to normal breathing.

Effects: Lowers High Blood Pressure

Viloma Pranayama

Loma=hair, Viloma means anti-hair or against the natural order of things; hence, the retention of the breath is not natural.  Inhalations & exhalations are interrupted by several pauses.

Viloma- Interrupted Exhalations

1.    Sit in a comfortably crossed-leg position.

2.   Align your posture, with blades in the body and frontal ribs lifting.

3.   Bring the head into Jalandhara Bandha (throat lock), drawing the chin towards the sternum plate, and the sternum plate towards the chin.

4.   Take a full inhalation and exhalation, then on the next inhalation, draw the breath towards the collarbones, pause the breath, and then: exhale to the breast bone and pause, exhale to the belly button and pause, then exhale completely out of the pelvic floor.

5.   Do 3-5 rounds and go back to normal breathing.

Effects: Lowers High Blood Pressure

Savasana

Simulate the dead by imitating the stillness of the body and mind while you are fully conscious.

Practice 3-10 minutes