The experts at Onsite share practical steps to maintain a healthy relationship between your mind and body.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH—A GOOD, deep breath—and let it out. If you’re feeling a little lighter, you’re not imagining it. Mental health professionals and yogis alike recommend deep breathing because of all the amazing ways it can benefit your mental health, not just your respiratory system.

Could nasal breathing be more helpful for our brains than breathing through the mouth?

Breathing is so universal and continuous that it can be easy to forget about—until we can’t do it anymore. Then it becomes symbolic of life itself. We take special note of words that are carried on final breaths, and sometimes we even cherish the physical substance of the breaths themselves.

The objective of pranayama, or breathing exercises, is to teach the ability to properly inhale, exhale, and retain your breath. There are different branches of pranayama dedicated specifically for inhalation, exhalation, and breathing retention.

This breathing style calms the mind and body. Inhale through your nose for four counts; hold for seven counts; then exhale through your mouth for eight counts.