YouTube video by Niraj Naik demonstrating a breathing technique called “sympathetic soma breathing” intended to activate the sympathetic nervous system for a short energy/adrenaline boost (described as a "coffee"-like effect). The narrator explains the physiological logic (longer inhales stimulate sympathetic, longer exhales stimulate parasympathetic), gives a step-by-step protocol (mouth inhale, mouth exhale with pursed lips, yogic full inhalation with pelvic-floor engagement), and demonstrates effects (heart-rate rise, sweating, lightheadedness, heat). He recommends breathing in for roughly 4 beats/seconds and out for 2 (i.e., inhale twice as long as the exhale) for about 10–20 cycles, then taking a slow pursed-lip exhale to finish. He warns people with high blood pressure or an already 'fiery' temperament not to use it. The clip ends with a call-to-action to view a longer masterclass.
Questions this video answers
Breathe in for 4 beats/seconds and out for 2 beats/seconds (inhale twice as long as exhale).
Around 10 to 20 cycles.
About 68 beats per minute.
People with high blood pressure or those who are already very 'fiery' (prone to anger/stress).
Chapters
If you're looking for a burst of energy, if you're looking to get something done, and you want to have that burst of inspiration, that drive and motivation to get something done, then this is a very simple breathing exercise for you. I call this sympathetic soma breathing.
With this breathing pattern, you can actually switch on the sympathetic nervous system. It can actually also make you feel a little bit lightheaded, but it can also make you sweat and generate heat in the body. If you're somebody who likes to go into ice baths and melt the ice, then this is a technique you can use for that. Okay, so with some of our breathing patterns you may be used to. We do this in for two breaths and out for four beats. And this is a powerful method of switching on the parasympathetic. But if you turn that around so you're breathing in for four beats and out for two, then you stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. That's right, because when you breathe in, you stimulate the sympathetic. When you breathe out, you stimulate the parasympathetic. So activating sympathetic nervous system can actually generate heat in the body. You might start sweating a bit and it also produces a burst of adrenaline. So you kind of have this wake up quality. It's like a burst of coffee. That's right. And it can also have a slight anti inflammatory effect as well.
However, if you're suffering from high blood pressure, if you're somebody who's already very fiery, it can actually trigger you to become more angry and even stressed. So don't use this technique. If you're somebody who's already a very fiery person. This is for people who may be feeling a bit sluggish, a bit lethargic, want to create that burst of adrenaline so they can go and get that stuff done that they need to do so with our normal soma breathing techniques that you may have experienced before we do this, breathing in for four and out for four creates a balancing of the whole nervous system. Or we do a breathing in for two or out for four, which actually switches on the parasympathetic nervous system and it puts you into rest and digest mode. If you turn that around, you breathe in for four, out for two beats, that is, or seconds. If you're using seconds as a way of measuring the rhythm, then you stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. Because when you breathe in, you stimulate sympathetic. When you breathe out, you stimulate parasympathetic. So when you breathe in longer, where you're forcing the inhalation for a longer time, then you actually produce more of a Sympathetic response in your nervous system. I can actually show you an example of how this activates the sympathetic nervous system right now. So let me demonstrate. So you see, my heart rate is around 68 beats per minute now. And when you do this breathing technique, the heart rate should dramatically start to rise. This is a sign sympathetic nervous system is switched on. So remember, breathing in through your mouth, out through your mouth with a forced inhale. Double the length of your time as you inhale, as your exhale. Let's go.
It.
You get the idea. So now, deep breath in.
Breathe out through purse lips slowly.
That's right. So that's like a cleansing breath because what happens is you're breathing in more oxygen and you breathe out, you're releasing carbon dioxide. And then at the end of those 10 to 20 cycles where you're charged up with prana, you're breathing out very slowly. This creates a back pressure, nitric oxide builds up, your blood vessels dilate and you get maximum oxygenation from your blood cells into the cells of your tissues where it needs to go and has this amazing flushing and cleansing effect over your entire body. And you'll feel more alert, more awake, and with a much clearer mind. So to do this technique, you're going to be breathing in twice the length of time as you breathe out. So when you breathe in, you're going to take a deep, full, yogic breath where you're pulling and contracting the pelvic floor muscles up on the inhale, expanding your belly, then into your chest.
And then you're breathing out through your mouth.
And still having half the amount of air in your lungs. And immediately you breathe in again at that point. And what this does, it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system because you're breathing in longer than you breathe out. Okay. And you're using your mouth because this further stimulates the sympathetic nervous system receptors at the top of your lungs. Okay. And you do this to a rhythm like this, so you can tap a rhythm like this of like seconds. Okay. Beat like this is good.
And you're going to breathe in with that beat and that rhythm.
And you can actually even experiment with faster rhythms where you do a bit faster.
And you can notice I'm already starting to sweat. I'm getting heat in the body. It generates a lot of heat. Heart rate starts to go up and you might even feel lightheaded and a little bit euphoric. So do this for around 10 to 20 cycles. And then you take a deep breath in.
And you breathe out through pursed lips.
Very, very slowly. And this has a cleansing effect of your entire nervous system. All that excess oxygen you breathed in and that carbon dioxide you breathed out fully saturates your blood cells with oxygen. That's right. And then when you breathe out very, very slowly, it creates this back pressure. You build up nitric oxide, carbon dioxide in your system naturally and this increases your ability to to get.
Oxygen off your blood cells and into the tissue cells. So you get this hyper oxygenation of the entire system. And the nitric oxide also helps dilate blood vessels and to improve the oxygen supply to your tissues and your muscles. So you're going to feel like this glowing, clear headed and more alert feeling after doing this technique. However, don't overdo it. If you do too many of this cyclical breathing where you'll stimulate the sibling nervous system, can actually elevate your blood pressure. You can actually over stress yourself. If you're somebody who's already fired up and full of stress, you might not want to do this technique because it might trigger more anxiety and panic. But for people who feel like they're a bit more sluggish than normal, or maybe you've got problems of excess weight and you're finding it hard to lose weight, well, this will also actually activate your metabolism and even help you lose weight just by breathing. So for those of you who find a bit of you need a bit more energy at the start of the day, you want a replacement for coffee and other stimulants, then this is your coffee breathing technique by Soma Breath. Much love. Peace. Click on the link in the description box below this video to get access to the full masterclass where you get lots more free tips and resources. Remember to subscribe to our channel and hit the notifications button so that you never ever miss an episode.
