Even-Ratio Breathing
A simple practice for reduced anxiety and better respiratory health
Awareness and control of the breath is foundational to most yoga practices for a reason: it’s effective! Breathing is one of the few things we do that can be both an involuntary process, meaning we do it without thinking about it, as well as voluntary, meaning we can consciously choose to hold our breath, change our breathing pattern, and so on. This is exactly what makes a focus on breathing such a powerful force for change. Because the breath involves both the autonomic and somatic branches of our peripheral nervous system, we’re able to take voluntary action (shifting the pattern of our breath) to change our nervous system’s response to stress. This leads to cascading effects throughout our body that can lead to better physical and mental well-being, improved immune systems, and more balanced hormone levels.
Moving to a More Balanced Breathing Pattern
One of the simplest breathing exercises you can do to shift out of a state of anxiety is even-ratio breathing, also known as equal breathing or, in Sanskrit, sama vritti pranayama. Even-ratio breathing is exactly what it sounds like: A breathing pattern with inhales and exhales of equal length. I think it’s natural for us to assume that we always breathe like this, but if you actually stop and observe your breathing pattern you’ll notice that this often isn’t the case. There are many reasons why our breathing patterns may change, and they almost always have to do with a shift in our nervous system activation. Moving to a more even breathing pattern helps us to balance our sympathetic and parasympathetic activation so we feel more balanced, calm, focused, and in control.
When to Use
During a daily morning or evening, self-care routine
As a mindfulness or grounding practice
Before meditation
Before or after a yoga practice or workout
Anytime you’re feeling stressed, tired, anxious, overwhelmed, or otherwise ‘out-of-sorts’
The Practice
Throughout this breathing practice we’ll follow the basic breathing guidelines: sitting or lying comfortably; breathing in and out through the nose; keeping the eyes closed or gaze focused on one object. (Note: If breathing through the nose is difficult for you for some reason, for example if you have a respiratory condition, try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, which can often feel easier.)
Step 1: Breath Awareness
Take a few breaths in and out as you find a natural, unforced rhythm. Notice how your breathing feels. Fast or slow? Shallow or deep? Does your abdomen move in and out? Does your chest move up and down?
Step 2: Find your Number(s)
Once you feel settled, start to count the length of your breath. As you inhale, simply start to count from 1, and stop when you get to the top of your inhale. Using the same pace of counting, start at 1 again, and count the length of your exhale. You might want to repeat that for one or two more breaths to get an average. You should now have two numbers: the count for your inhale, and the count for your exhale. Were those two numbers even? If so, skip to step 4. If not- let’s work on it.
Step 3: Even it out
For the next few breaths, take whichever part of your breath was longer, and try to match the other half of your breath to that number. For example, if during the last exercise I inhaled for a count of 4 and exhaled for a count of 3, this time I’m going to try to inhale for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 4. (This is often labeled as 4:4 breathing.) To get to this pace, I’d either slow down the speed of my exhale, or empty my lungs a little bit more than usual at the bottom of the breath. If you started out with a longer exhale, you’d do the opposite: lengthen your inhale by either breathing more slowly or by filling the lungs a bit more at the top of your breath.
(Note: This probably won’t feel natural at first so it’s COMPLETELY OKAY if you can’t quite get there for the first few breaths, or if you’re able to even them out for a few rounds and then you revert back to the original pattern. Your natural rhythm was whatever you noticed in steps 1 and 2, and you’re now trying to shift away from that- it might take some getting used to. If it wasn’t at least slightly challenging, it wouldn’t be creating a shift in your nervous system. That said, this practice should not feel impossible. If this is increasing feelings of anxiety or stress, go back to steps 1 and 2 and stay there for a while. Maybe even wait a day to try again.)
The first time you try this, just practice for a few rounds- anywhere from 5-10 breaths- then stop and check in. Notice if there’s been any shift in what you’re experiencing in your body right now: heart rate, body temperature, speed of the thoughts. If you notice some positive effects and you’re feeling calm and comfortable, you can either repeat Step 3 for a few more rounds, or, move on and explore Step 4.
Step 4: Slow. It. Down.
The next step in this practice is to add more time to both your inhale and your exhale. Some of the biggest stress-reducing benefits of breath work come from slowing and deepening the breath. Breathing slowly and deeply stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the ‘rest and digest’ response in the body.
To start, just take whatever your number was for the last exercise and add 1 to it. (Mine was 4:4, so if I added one I’d now be working with a 5:5 pattern.) Explore a few rounds of breathing with that new pace, and see how you feel. If it felt accessible but challenging, that’s a pretty good sign that you want to stick to that pace for a few days or weeks. Still feel pretty in control? Then continue to add time until you get to a length that feels right for you (For example, I’d move from 5:5 to 6:6, work with that for a while, then eventually try 7:7, and so on.)
And that’s it! Some other tips: Don’t go to the point where you feel like you’re forcing anything. Try to find a level of challenge that requires your focus and feels like something new for you, but easeful enough that it feels doable and calming. Most importantly- take your time and progress slowly! The practice of yoga is a marathon, not a sprint. Try not to practice with any goals in mind. Instead, set the intention of nonjudgemental awareness each time you practice, noticing each experience for what it is.
You can work with your breath through the steps described above for years and still reap benefits from it. The more you do it, the easier it will become, and you’ll be able to call on this technique anytime you need a little more balance in your day. Happy practicing!
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There’s a reason yoga was originally taught directly from teacher to student- it’s easier to learn that way! If you’d like more support incorporating any of the practices I write about into your own routine, or you’re curious what types of breathing exercises are best for you specifically, please connect with me by clicking below to schedule an a session OR a free consultation. I can’t wait to hear from you!