While meditation practices span many cultures and traditions across the globe and have been subject to a fair amount of research, techniques to cultivate a deeper breath (Pranayama) are largely exclusive to the yoga tradition and mostly unexplored scientifically. As a result, Pranayama has retained an air of secrecy that might be about to be unlocked by science. Emerging science has identified a link between breath control and the Vagus Nerve that might explain why Pranayama can be so effective for your nervous system, and how it works to balance your physiology.

A University of Auckland study identified a direct correlation between modern posture and increasing emotional stress. The book Breath in Action asserts that simply paying more attention to your breath can help. In Yoga, we take it one step further with practices to deepen, extend or conserve the breath, known as “Pranayama”.