Humming Bee Pranayama and the benefits of humming.
If you've been in class with me over the last few weeks, you'll have noticed a new addition of Humming Bee breath (Bhramari Pranayama) named such due to the buzzing sound that we create whilst practising. What you may not realise though, is that beyond getting to feel like everyone’s favourite pollinator, humming has a slew of physical benefits (backed up by science might I add) as well as emotional ones too.
When we hum, the vibration to our nostrils facilitates the release of a molecule called Nitric Oxide (NO). This molecule has a bunch of different characteristics that are known to support our immune systems. NO has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties - imperative to a healthy immune function. NO aids breathing by widening our airways and relaxing muscles around the lungs as well as aiding the movement of blood around our bodies. Winning.
Outside of the Nitric Oxide benefits, humming vibrates our pharynx and larynx in the throat. The Vagus Nerve (VN) runs through these. As we know, the VN is the primary highway of the Parasympathetic nervous system , which is in charge of our rest and digest state. By stimulating or 'toning' your VN you're assuring your body that your safe and this has a relaxing effect on your whole system. In the long run, VN toning helps to train your system to be better at relaxing! Who would have thought it, something as simple as humming can actually improve your immune functions and help to relax your nervous system! It's amazing just how self-sufficient our bodies can be if we just facilitate the space.
You can get NO from your diet and supplements too, but why not try something that you can always access without the additional price!?
The best practice for humming isn't to be the loudest one going. Instead on the exhale, make just enough noise to feel a vibration in your nose and face. Try breathing "light & low" (easefully) and invite your exhales to be longer and softer with each round. Bonus VN toning if your exhales are longer than your inhales. You can try this whenever - in a dedicated Bhramari Pranayama practice, in meditation or integrated into asana.
Don't take my word for it! Give it a go yourself. Our Yoga practice is a space for experimentation, where we can discover for ourselves what works for our individual makeup and what doesn't, what gives us peace and what causes disruption; what takes us off balance and what takes us closer to it.
Fancy a moment of calm? Try the below breath practice from my Podcast…
