Ujjayi Breath?

Ujjayi is a Sanskrit word which combines the root ‘uj,’ meaning great or high, with the root ‘jay’ or ‘jii’, which means to conquer. Ujjayi is most often translated as ‘breath of the conqueror’ or ‘victorious breath.’ There are also many other nicknames for ujjayi breath, and it is the breath most commonly used in standard yoga classes. What makes ujjayi such an excellent breathing technique is that you can use it anywhere. It is also sometimes confused with belly breathing, yet these are technically two different practices. However, to maximize the benefits of ujjayi breath, it is best to practice it in conjunction with belly breathing.

Benefits of Ujjayi Breathing

Luckily ujjayi is much easier to master/learn than belly breathing. I cannot say enough about ujjayi, there are so many benefits to it that I could go on for hours, so I will do my best to be clear and concise. Ujjayi is performed by closing the mouth (no air passes the lips) and contracting the glottis (muscle) in the back of the throat in order to narrow the air passage causing a sound while you are breathing. Why would we want to do this? Small receptors in the sinus cavity’s mucous membrane (cilia/ tiny hairs) are stimulated by wind, hence contracting the glottis and creating more wind due to the narrowed air passage.

When you stimulate these receptors, you help regulate the endocrine system, reduce stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline, and also increase happy chemicals like serotonin. It also increases the production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator that optimizes blood flow. Regular practice of ujjayi can also improve lung capacity. Long story short, more oxygen in the blood coupled with nitric oxide means more oxygen in the blood and more blood to the tissue, which speeds up the healing process. it is also very good for COPD, which you can find out more about by reading this article, and it has also been clinically proven to reduce depression, which you can explore here if you wish to. 

Why Is This Breath So Important?

Unfortunately, most people hold or partially hold their breath more often than they should. For example, most people tend to do this when under stress, during fearful situations, or when they exert themselves, just to name a few. These habits lead to chronic shallow breathing, which is not good for a successful yoga practice or day-to-day living. This holding or shallow breathing ends up causing the sympathetic nervous system fight or flight to kick in, which perpetuates a stress response. Thankfully, ujjayi breathing is a tool that, when used, typically takes you out of a sympathetic response helping hit reset for various kinds of stress. It also improves your ability to move through a challenging physical yoga practice effectively and keep your mind focused on the present moment.

How To Practice Ujjayi Breathing

The following is a great way to engage in ujjayi breathing if you are new to the breathing technique and even if you have some experience with it. This is also how we start most of our classes and private yoga sessions (which you can find more about here) to help our clients more easily connect with the breath. We also recommend utilizing belly breathing alongside your ujjayi breath if it is not too much for you (learn more about belly breathing here).

1. Get comfortable in a seated position, in child’s pose, standing upright, or in another yoga pose you’re comfortable in. 

2. Take a few breaths in and out of your nose, ensuring it is mostly clear (blowing your nose if needed).

3. Now exhale all of your air and then inhale fully through your nose.

4. Exhale out your mouth while making a gentle ‘Ha’ sound like you’re fogging a mirror.

5. Inhale through your nose and exhale, mouth open making the ‘Ha’ sound 2 more times. 

6. Then inhale through the nose. 

7. Begin your exhale mouth open, making the ‘Ha” sound then close the mouth halfway through the exhale, making the same sound internally. 

8. Inhale and exhale the same way 2 more times. 

9. Now inhale through the nose.

10. Exhale with your mouth closed through the nose, making the ‘Ha’ sound internal. 

11. Inhale and exhale through the nose 2 more times, just like in steps 9-10.

12. Continue breathing this way and begin your physical yoga practice or stop whenever you feel you’re ready to stop.