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generates static electricity in the body in very minute quantities and there is a feeling of improved energy and dynamism.
Physical benefits When the rishis discovered the science of pranayama, they did not have yoga therapy in mind, although the practices have innumerable physical benefits. The therapeutic aspect of pranayama is an incidental by-product. The main objective of pranayama is to balance the interacting processes of the pranic and mental forces for awakening the higher centres of human consciousness. Nevertheless, the practitioner of pranayama will experience many benefits at the physical level. These effects have been documented scientifically, and it has been observed that pranayama influences almost all the organs and physiological systems, as indicated below.
Respiratory system: Pranayama exercises the muscles of respiration and the lungs through the processes of deep, rapid or slow breathing. The chest is opened to its fullest extent and the lungs are stretched to the utmost. This strengthens the respiratory muscles and makes the lungs more elastic, resulting in a healthier process of respiration.
During pranayama one does not absorb a larger quantity of oxygen. In fact, the amount of oxygen absorbed during a round of pranayama is less than the amount absorbed during normal respiration. The average person inhales about 7,000 cc of air in one minute during normal inspiration; during pranayama, one inhales about 3,700 cc in one minute. The total intake of air being smaller in pranayama, the absorption of oxygen is also smaller. However, the practices allow more time for oxygen to mix with the blood flow and for the system to eliminate waste through the breath and blood. The training given to the respiratory organs and muscles during the pranayama practice prepares them to work efficiently all through the day. With a more efficient respiratory apparatus, a larger quantity of oxygen is absorbed throughout the day than it normally would be.
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