Dirga pranayama (three-part breath): steps, benefits and how to practise

How to do Dirga Pranayama

1. Lie on your back in Savasana with a thin cushion under your head, or sit tall in Sukhasana or on a chair. Close your eyes.
2. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Breathe normally through the nose for a few breaths.
3. Breathe in slowly for 6 counts: first let the belly rise, then feel the ribs widen, then let the upper chest lift slightly.
4. Stop at about four-fifths full. Do not hold; turn the breath around smoothly.
5. Breathe out for 6 counts in the same order: the belly falls, the ribs draw in, and the chest softens last.
6. Repeat for the 10 rounds on the timer (2 minutes), then rest your hands and breathe naturally for a minute.

Dirga pranayama is the three-part yogic breath: you fill the belly, the rib cage and the upper chest in one slow inhale, then empty them in the same order. It is usually the first breathing exercise taught in yoga, because it is simple, needs no breath hold and shows you what a full, relaxed breath feels like.

What is Dirga pranayama? Meaning in Sanskrit and English

The Dirga pranayama Sanskrit name comes from dirgha, "long", and pranayama, the regulation of prana, the breath or life force. In English, Dirga pranayama is called the three-part breath, the full yogic breath or the yoga 3 part breath.

The three parts are the abdomen, the ribs and the upper chest near the collarbones. Under stress most of us breathe only into the upper chest. The three part yoga breath connects all three areas, which is why teachers use it to show what yogic breathing is.

How to use the three part breath timer

The timer uses a 6:6 pattern: 6 seconds in and 6 seconds out, with no hold, or 5 breaths a minute. The saffron ring grows as you inhale, and the 3D teacher’s belly and chest rise with each breath, so you can copy her. The default 10 rounds take 2 minutes.

• Spend about 2 seconds on each part: belly, ribs, chest.
• If 6 seconds feels long, start with 4:4 on the breathing exercise timer.
• For a longer relaxation, set 25 rounds for 5 minutes.

How to do Dirga pranayama properly

Dirga pranayama lying down in Savasana

Lying down is the easiest way to learn. In Savasana your back is supported, so the belly moves freely. First only watch the belly rise and fall. Next, move a hand to the side of your ribs and feel them widen. Only then join the parts into one wave.

Seated three part breathing yoga

Once the pattern feels natural, sit in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or on a chair with a long spine. This is how you would use it before meditation.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the shoulders to get more air. Let the chest rise only a little.
• Filling to the very top. Four-fifths is enough; forcing creates tension.
• Breathing in three jerky steps. The parts flow into each other like water filling a glass.

Dirga pranayama benefits

What are the benefits of pranayama like this one? Research on Dirga pranayama alone is limited, but slow breathing at five to six breaths a minute has been studied widely. Studies suggest it can lower heart rate, ease stress and raise heart rate variability, a sign of a relaxed nervous system.

• Calm. The long, even breath is one of the simplest tools in yoga for stress and anxiety.
• Better habits. You learn to use the diaphragm and ribs, not just the upper chest.
• Sleep. A few minutes lying down before bed may help you settle; see yoga for sleep.

Dirga pranayama supports health; it does not treat disease. If you take medicine for blood pressure, asthma or anxiety, keep taking it.

Dirga pranayama benefits and contraindications: who should take care

• Pregnancy. Gentle full breathing is among the benefits of pranayama during pregnancy, as are the benefits of Bhramari pranayama in pregnancy. After the first trimester, lie on your left side or sit instead of lying flat, and let the belly move softly.
• Lung conditions. With asthma or COPD, shorter counts are fine. Stop if you feel breathless.
• Recent abdominal or chest surgery. Ask your surgeon or physiotherapist first.

How to practice pranayama as a beginner

If you want to know how to do simple pranayama at home, start here: Dirga pranayama for beginners takes two to five minutes a day. Practise on an empty or light stomach, at the same time each day. The importance of pranayama in yoga is that it trains attention as well as the lungs, and regular practice matters more than long sessions.

A simple order: 2 minutes of Dirga pranayama, then Anulom Vilom, then quiet sitting. See all pranayama types and benefits on the pranayama page.

How to breathe properly during yoga

When doing yoga with your breath in mind, breathe through the nose and let movement follow the breath: open on the inhale, fold or twist on the exhale. Doing yoga with breathing techniques like this, connecting yoga and breathing, turns stretches into a calm practice; try it in the guided sessions at /practice/. These yoga deep breathing exercises also help in daily life: when you feel tense, take three deep breaths using all three parts.

Dirga pranayama vs other types of breathing in yoga

Sukha pranayama benefits are similar to Dirga’s, but it does not guide the breath through three parts. The benefits of nadi shodhan pranayama focus on balance, and the benefits of bhastrika pranayama are about energy, so Bhastrika is not for beginners or people with high blood pressure. To do breath of joy yoga, stand, take three quick sips of air while swinging the arms forward, sideways and up, then fold forward with a "ha" exhale.

Dirga pranayama in Hindi (दीर्घ प्राणायाम)

Where this practice is used

Chakras: Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)

More breathing techniques

Breathing practices are safe for most people when done gently. Stop if you feel dizzy, anxious or short of breath, and ask your doctor first if you have heart or lung disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy or are pregnant.