Pranayama is essentially the science of calming the mind and nervous system through various breathing exercises. In the yogic texts, it is said that stress and all related problems are essentially due to the speed of the mind. When the mind is too fast, stress accumulates and our breathing also becomes faster. By slowing down the breath, we slow down the speed of the mind. With a calm mind, our yoga is refined, and our mind becomes clear, organized, energized, and focused.