What yoga breathing exercises can you do while driving?

Question

Rush hour traffic doesn’t have to be stressful. A type of music, cup of green tea, or breathing exercise can help ease the tension of your day. Tell us how you keep your balance during your commute.

Answer 1

I do some yoga breathing while driving if I am sat at traffic lights waiting for them to change but not generally while I am driving. I will say one thing that I am not sure if it has been mentioned. If you do some breathing excercises while waiting at lights etc once you drive away your body has then started on the healing process so your efforts do not go to waste. Each time you come to another red light look beyond the light to what is going on around you, obviously minding that you are sat in traffic and appreciate other things rather than the fact you are sat at (yes another) red light.

It really won't hurt to take a few deep breaths breathing right down into your belly at each red light you are at for instance. You will notice that you become very centred and for myself I become more aware of the dangers around me. I think because you shut out outside influences and pay attention to your driving more (rather than what am I going to have for dinner, what I should have said to whoever etc) that you almost become better at the task in hand.

I hope this helps calming/happy music is great for driving to keep your mind in a light unstressed state to begin with.

Enjoy your rush hour driving

YW

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Being a classical musician and 'music therapist in training' I know that different kinds of music have different effects on the mind and body. If you listen to a piece in a minor key, it will have a depressive effect on your mood, but if you listen to a happy, upbead melody it will calm you down - especially in rush hour traffic. I do this daily and keep a ready supply of pieces in major keys. Some to keep an eye out for would be Mozart's "Magic Flute", any piano concerto from the classical era (or even baroque - think Bach) and even pieces by Dvorjak or Thaikovsky.

In the wintertime I love listening to the Nutcracker ballet. It's a great way to get into the spirit of the season and lift your mood.

Taking your focus off the road in traffic is not as bad as everyone else that has posted may think. It leads me to believe they have never been in REAL Southern California traffic (STOP and go). You have much room for breathing exercised, but just don't take it too far. Make sure your focus is always the road and only do the exercised when traffic is at a stand-still.

Listening to classical music is a great way to calm your nerves while not having to worry about "lost concentration".

Answer 4

Yes, breathing excercises is the best form of stress relieve even when U get into bed to sleep. Soon as U get into bed, U put yourself in a relaxed position & then start the breathing in & out momentum & within a short while U start to feel sleepy & soon doz off.

Each time I am on the road I talk to GOD & ASK for guidance to stay calm which is one way of staying calm. This helps so much in our daily lives

Most important of all soon as U get into the car is to sit yourself in a position that wont give u bad back pains, this way U can breadthe well with ease & not hunched over the steering column.

Then move at a pace where U will not annoy mad & impatient drivers left & right & behind U. Stay clear of any mad oncoming vehicle from behind your car.

Simple practice of this daily is good enough unless U are a hard core type & wont accept this method.

Stay away from muching. This is a bad habit while driving or at anytime other than meal time.

Answer 5

Yoga has many dimensions including meditation but two of them are most important:

1. Praanaayaam - various breathing exercise, like 'Bhasrika', 'Kapaalbhaati', 'Baahya' etc. [These are Sanskrit names, the language of Yoga]
2. Yogic exercises - forming various postures

The above two and the meditation give best results when performed in a calm and serene environment, however, breathing exercises (i.e. Praanaayaam) can be done almost any time any where. But there are limitations even in this, and since driving also requires concentration and body movements (legs, hands and neck to look behind), it is advisable to do, if necessary, only one type of breathing exercise explained below. [Yogic exercises, while, driving, are absolute no no].

"Kapaalbhaati" : This Praanaayaam can be done, while driving, in a limited way and will give only 50% of the beenefits which is done in a proper sitting posture. It is very simple to perform.

Just exale through NOSE in small bouts, (keep the mouth shut), approximately once every two seconds. Don't inhale. (It is not contradictory, air will automatically go in without your realizing and hence not required to inhale deliberately.)

In the process your stomach will go in (and come out automatically) like a diaphgram. This exercises your internal organs like, lungs, kidney, liver, prostate, uterus, pancreas etc. which generally do not get direct exercise.

As I said before this will give only about half of the benefit because your stomach is already pressed while driving, hence most internal organs may not get pressed as desired.

One word of caution though: while driving concentrate more on the road and AVOID doing any exercise, including 'Kapaalbhaati' and especially THE DEEP INHALE AND EXHALE.

Answer 6

let the breathing become automatic, which is why breathing should be essentially practiced during periods set aside for that. Especially when driving and your complete attention to what is going on around you, you should not fool around with breathing exercises or music or other mental activities that distract you from the serious nature of driving when lack of attention could result in serious damage or even death. A lot of breathing exercises could cause you some level of disorientation, as well. There is a time and place for everything. Your body and your mind know that, so practice during your practice periods and keep a mind to breathe normally but fully while you are attending to your activities.

Answer 7

Breathe deeply and easily, but you're supposed to focus on the task at hand and let the breathing become automatic, which is why breathing should be essentially practiced during periods set aside for that. Especially when driving and your complete attention to what is going on around you, you should not fool around with breathing exercises or music or other mental activities that distract you from the serious nature of driving when lack of attention could result in serious damage or even death. A lot of breathing exercises could cause you some level of disorientation, as well. There is a time and place for everything. Your body and your mind know that, so practice during your practice periods and keep a mind to breathe normally but fully while you are attending to your activities.

Answer 8

During driving a motor vehicle, there is no specific yoga to be advised other than keep the body straight so as the spinal code is straight. Straightness of spinal lessen all kinds of stresses, which is not known to many. Sitting also in a cushion bed is not advised for strainless drive. Driver's seat should be hard that does not harm the physical fitness. Driving with care of these two points is the only advisable, since driving a vehicle needs various positions of the body and respiratory adjustments, this is not only advisable for driving but every work by sitting somewhere including office works.

Answer 9

I lived in Dallas and Houston, TX. I figured out it was better to just go some where and sit out the rush hour until the traffic cleared. I used to just stop at a park, or do some shopping. I would get home at the same time normally and didn't waist all of my fuel sitting and stirring about. It would take 11/2 hours-2 hours to commute a 20 minute drive at rush hour.

Answer 10

YOGA starts with breathing and thus improving your oxygen intake which makes you feel ALIVE and healthy.

I have tried this a while ago and it gives you a lot of relief. Please ensure that you do not get carried away with the excercise that you forget the traffic and block the road.

Initially you will have to concentrate on your breathing tchnique, gradually in a few days this will become a natural habit. You may also do this at work.

Observe your natural breath. You will notice that as you inhale the abdomen rises and then falls with exhalation. Watch this for a few moments to check this flow. Now begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. That is, while inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit and at exhalation let it fall completely. Keep the chest still during this entire process – only move the abdomen. Continue this for 20 breaths and then rest

Now to the second phase; If you still stuck in traffic...

Observe your normal breath, this time focusing your attention on the chest. You will notice the chest moving slightly up at inhalation and down with exhalation. Again observe this pattern for a few moments. Now again, begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. This time, on inhalation expand and lift the rib cage, filling the lungs completely. Then on exhalation, let the lungs collapse fully, sinking to the limits. In this step, keep the abdomen still, moving only the chest. Do this for 20 breath cycles and then stop

GOLDEN RULE: All of the above steps should be done WITHOUT strain. The natural tendency is to heave with effort. The right way is to make it smooth and effortless. Go slow and easy.