The ancient yogic system of breathing exercises and the mental exercises that constitute pranayama, as well as the physical exercises or asanas prescribed under yoga have proved to be effective in successfully treating constipation, without any side effects.

As a practitioner of pranayama you should ideally have meals and sleep at pre-fixed times to be able to maintain a disciplined and strict schedule. This allows your body to set its biological clock for all its functions; for example, clearing your bowels first thing in the morning.

Drink warm water

Go to bed early. Try to be in bed by 10 pm at the latest. Have a glass of warm water before going to bed; the water should be as warm as your body can possibly tolerate. You should be up by four in the morning. Once you wake up, have one to four glasses of fairly warm water. Sip the water slowly over a few minutes while sitting in a relaxed posture; do not gulp it down hurriedly.

After you are through with your morning ablutions get set for yoga. Please note that even if you are unable to clear your bowels, make it a point to go to the toilet early in the morning, to allow your body to set its biological clock for that activity at that specific time daily.

Performing Pranayama

To perform pranayama and the yogasanas or physical exercises, choose a quiet corner inside your house, or on the terrace. You could also choose a quiet area inside a public park. Sit down cross-legged on a woollen or silken mattress with your back straight, arms stretched, hands on your knees, and eyes closed.

In this posture, perform the following breathing exercises.

1.Bhastrika Pranayama:

Take a deep breath. Inhale the fresh morning air and exhale all the stale air inside your lungs completely.. Do this for two to three minutes.

2.Kapalbharti Pranayama:

This is a series of rhythmic exhalations through both your nostrils. As you exhale, contract your stomach inwards. One exhalation and one inward contraction of your stomach per second sets the pace for Kapalbharti Pranayama. You must do it for five minutes at a stretch.

You may not be able to do it for five minutes continuously on the first day itself. However, with regular practice you should be able to achieve this five-minutes-at-a-stretch norm in about a couple of weeks. Initially you can take a break for a few seconds during the five-minute session whenever you feel tired. Practice this breathing exercise for 15 minutes, breaking it into three five-minute sessions.

3.Bahya Pranayama:

Before you start this exercise, you may move around a bit and stretch your limbs. To perform this exercise, take a deep breath and then exhale, completely but slowly. Then, hold your breath for as long as you can; do not inhale. When you are exhaling, contract your stomach inwards as much as you can. Thereafter, inhale deeply to let fresh air fill up your lungs and relax.

You can repeat this exercise three times, five times or eleven times, depending on the severity of your constipation.

4.Agnisaar Pranayama:

Inhale deeply, and then exhale completely. Contract your stomach as you are inhaling. Once you have inhaled, hold your breath and contract and expand your stomach in rhythmic movements as long as you can. You can repeat this exercise three times, five times or eleven times.

This exercise helps tone the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and enable you to resume your natural bowel movements.

Concentrate on your digestive tract

While doing these breathing exercises, concentrate on your digestive tract. Feel that your bowels are recovering. As a practitioner of yoga, keep your eyes closed so that you can channelize the flow of energy towards your target area, in this case your bowels. Studies have shown this practice to be very effective for most patients.