Stress management and relaxation are just two of the benefits you will find with yoga as it bleeds over into daily life. Even when I am not actively practicing yoga, I use yoga breathing to relax during my day. This is to be expected since deep breathing relaxation methods are used to manage stress.
The In Breath
In yoga, you want to breathe in through the nose. You should avoid belly breathing and rather expand your chest to open your lungs. When you are engaging your core, it is impossible to belly breathe. In vinyasa yoga the breath moves with the poses. When a pose is difficult, you will often find you hold your breath. As in life, the difficult times require you to keep breathing when the instinct is the opposite.
The Out Breath
It is important to breathe out through the nose (not the mouth), and it makes a sound--much like fogging up glass. The heavy breathing in yoga class must seem unusual to someone new to the practice. Ouija breathing, this forceful exhalation, improves oxygen consumption while creating warmth in the body.
You will find this helps force more air out of the lungs. The release of tension with this is clearly noticeable. You think of the term 'blowing off steam' to describe this transformative breathing relaxation technique.
Cleansing breaths are common during yoga practice. There is a sighing sound created while exhaling through the mouth. Often these sighs are cued just after more difficult poses. This translates well to life in that it is best to really sigh to let go when experiencing something difficult.
It is natural for me to use deep breathing relaxation methods throughout my day without even realizing it. Yoga has helped to train my automatic behavior. I find myself taking deeper breaths as needed without consciously initiating them. I also catch myself when I am holding my breath, and redirect myself to some deep breathing.
A single, conscious breath is considered to be a yoga practice. Being conscious of your breath brings the stress management rewards into your regular day. Ultimately it will become automatic to experience this relaxation with yoga breathing. The only breathing relaxation technique you need just might be found in your yoga practice.