The duration of life depends on metabolism. The faster the metabolism is, the faster a person grows old. Any sport increases the rate of breathing: stressed muscles need more oxygen, exerciser breathes fast and heart rate quickens. Breathing and heart set the rhythm of metabolism and the processes in the body. Therefore, the aging process goes faster. In yoga any postures are practiced with smooth, deep breathing, despite the tension in the muscles, and often with a delay. The exercise in pranayama (breathing practices) is a slow, rhythmic breathing. By daily practice of pranayama for a few minutes, the student learns to breathe slower also during the entire day. So, his life is extended. In the East they believe that the length of life of everybody is ordained as a certain number of breaths. Allegorically, it is about the frequency of respiratory and related processes in the body. Deliberately extending inhale and exhale, practicing slow breathing rhythm, one slows down the aging process. Yoga prolongs life, more effective than jogging, swimming, gymnastics, and other types of training.
