Breathe cold "Chitale Pranayama" to de-stress

Hafsa Alami-Paris

Yoga has its roots in thousands of years and is the product of a culture practiced to this day.Yoga is characterized by its enormous impact on the functioning of the nervous system, relieve stress, and encourage relaxation.It includes many exercises that help to "cool" the brain and body, the most important of which are Chitali and Pranayama.

Pranayama's "breathing control" technique aims to better absorb oxygen and increase vital energy in the body. Prana means breath or vital energy, Yama means control, and Chitali means cooling or quietness.

Meditation movements are useful for breathing
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Swedish Yoga professor Christian Mullenhof says: "This technique is not intended to provide a specific medical treatment because it is part of a set of practices that help in understanding the deep links between man and body."

"When we browse the old books and manuscripts, we will find that this technique dates back to the Middle Ages."

Although there are few studies on these techniques, a study by a group of researchers from the University of Medicine and Madha Hospital in India in 2014 says that the meditation movements in Chitali are very useful for breathing.

For this study, twenty male volunteers were recruited for two full months and divided into two equal groups, one practiced by Chitali and one not. Both groups were subjected to the recording of the electrical activity of the brain in the form of a chart that monitors brain waves that indicate the functional status of the brain.

Comparison of results on topographic maps revealed that the group that exercised was quieter and the brain in a relaxed and hypotonic state.

Chitali relaxation technique
Christian Mullenhof says this technique helps to relax and de-stress. In the culture of yoga, we say that breathing is linked to hidden energy or what we call "prana" which is linked to thinking and mental sensations.

Shetali is part of a range of breathing exercises that we use during yoga classes, and are often added to the latter because they bring calm and tranquility to the person.

The study states that the Chitali technique imposes mental and physical well-being, and encourages the mind to relax by reducing the level of anxiety and tension; thus this study confirms the statements of teachers and yoga specialists that meditation and Chitali exercises modify and improve brain function.

"From my experience I can say that they have come to this conclusion because when we breathe very slowly, we have melancholy or melancholy thoughts, but when we continue to breathe in this slow way, we face fear from within and become more relaxed," says Mullenhof.

Other benefits
This exercise makes the person feel refreshed and calm and clear mind, and the practice of this method of breathing help to get rid of stress and tension, and the amazing benefits that it reduces the sense of hunger.

Cold breathing method:

Place your hands on your knees and keep your back straight.

Wrap your tongue from both sides and take it out of the mouth in a tube-like shape.

Take a deep breath from the mouth through this tube.

- Fill your lungs well with air and then enter your tongue and close your mouth.

- Hold yourself for about six seconds.

Breathe slowly through the nostrils.

You can repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

Warnings
Avoid practicing this exercise is recommended for people with sinusitis and coughing, and it is recommended to follow yoga classes with a specialist to be able to master all movements.