How to reduce Depression through good breathing

World Health Day is being celebrated on 7th April, 2017 with this year’s focus being Depression. Sleep is a considerable factor in depression with chronic insomnia increasing the risk of developing anxiety or depression. Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental health disorder in the UK.

Anandi had suffered with insomnia and bouts of depression for over fifteen years. Through natural solutions, which use the principles of Ayurveda – a powerful ancient Indian healing system – she cured herself. She says, “I discovered the breath takes us from the dungeon of sleeplessness to the heavenly experience of sleeping well. Sleep is vital for repairing and rejuvenating every organ of the body, from skin to the brain and it is as vital as water and food.

“Everything looks better after a good night’s sleep. When you’re not tired, you’ll see the world differently, most likely from a positive space. Havoc is wreaked on the mind and body from sleeplessness causing irritability and stress whilst healthy sleep enhances wellbeing.”

There are multiple benefits to good breathing besides having a good night’s sleep, including general mental and emotional wellbeing, a better immune system and the feeling of being grounded and calm during stress. It can also lower blood pressure and allow the body to be more efficient at releasing tension in muscles and internal organs.

Anandi swears by vyana vanu, which, in Ayurverdic teaching, vyana means expansion and it is this energy that allows you to be open. Anandi says, “Vyana is the world’s best antidepressant and increasing vyana will bring you a sense of joy and openness. It will make you feel full of vitality. If you are feeling low and anxious, it means you have disconnected from the universal spirit and become separate and small. Take time out to breathe.”

Over the last five years, Anandi has created a five-step personal sleep review method, based on her experience of Ayuryedic healing, to enable people to improve their sleep. She says, “I absolutely know it’s possible to overcome insomnia, stress and anxiety using the principles of Ayurveda, a powerful natural healing system dating back 5,000 years.” Unlike more traditional methods, it works to remove the cause of the sleep disturbance, rather than masking the problem with drugs, leading to long-term results.

Anandi’s top tips to improve a night’s sleep are:

• Go to bed early and avoid technology for at least one hour before retiring
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Lengthen and deepen the breath, which calms the mind
• A busy mind is never going to sleep well – a daily ritual that nurtures the soul is vital for deep sleep
• Enjoy a diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
• Turn the lighting down in the evening
• Avoid heavy conversations before bed time
• Keep your bedroom tidy and free of clutter
• Aim for a minimum of seven hours of solid sleep per night.

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