How can Alternate Nostril Breathing Help You?

We all prepare for a different kind of Autumn this year. You may find that you are practicing yoga in a studio with a mask while trying to avoid touching your face. This combination makes it unlikely that instructors will be teaching alternate nostril breathing. This breath pattern is very beneficial to balance and ground yourself as the weather and your patterns change with the season. It is both calming and energizing. This quality can be helpful for anxiety relief but won’t make you sleepy.

This is a great practice to add to your home self care routine. Always remember to wash your hands before and after touching your face.

Start by finding a comfortable seat. You may sit in a cross legged position with the hips elevated or in a chair.

With your right hand curl the index and middle fingers down until they touch the palm, Vishnu mudra. This hand is used for alternatively closing the right and left nostril. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril and the right pinky/ring fingers to close the left nostril. (Picture below!)

Next, place your left hand palm up on your left knee with index and thumb touching, Jnana Mudra.

Now it’s time to start!

Here is one round of nadi shodhana explained with traditional breath counts:

Close the left nostril and breathe in through the right for a count of 4.

Close both nostrils and retain your breath for up to a 16 count.

Open the left nostril, close the right and exhale through the left nostril for an 8 count.

Inhale through left for a 4 count, with right closed.

Close both and retain for up to a 16 count.

Keep left closed, release right and exhale through the right nostril for 8 count.

See how you feel when you attempt the traditional breath counts and if you feel any tension adjust the counting to be comfortable for you. You will get the most benefit if you can try to exhale for a longer duration than your inhalation.

Yoga with Adriene has a nice video of Nadi Shodhana if you find videos to better match your learning style. Or if you just want to keep exploring this practice.