Alternate Nostril Breath

This is one of my favourite breathing exercises to do when I overwhelmed, can't fall asleep because of a racing mind or to practice mindfulness. It's very simple, you are just breathing through one nostril, while you hold the other closed with your finger and then repeating on the other side.

The Alternate Nostril Breath
I) Benefits:

• Has a marvelously calming effect on the nervous system.
• Helps to overcome insomnia.
• Relaxes and refreshes the body.
• Purifies the bloodstream and aerates the lungs.
• Soothes headaches.
• Improves digestion and appetite.
• Helps to free the mind of anxiety and depression.

II) Technique:

• Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with your back straight.
• Raise your RIGHT hand and place your ring finger against your LEFT nostril, closing it off.
• Inhale deeply and slowly through the RIGHT nostril to the count of four.
• Close off the RIGHT nostril with your thumb and hold the breath for a count of one to four.
• Open the LEFT nostril and exhale to the count of four to eight. The longer you can make the exhalation, the better. Concentrate on completely emptying the lungs.
• Breathe in through that same LEFT nostril to the count of four.
• Close off the nostril with the ring finger again and hold to the count of one to four.
• Exhale through the RIGHT nostril to the count of four to eight. This makes up one round.
• Repeat these rounds of alternate nostril breathing five more times, or for up 10 minutes if you are concerned about insomnia.

Practice a ratio of 4:4:8, if at all possible. Increase this to 8:4:8 eventually, then 8:8:8, after some months.

III) Do’s and Don’ts:
DO practice the Alternate Nostril Breath whenever you need calming – if you are nervous, upset or irritable.
DON’T push yourself with the holding position or by increasing the ratio until you are comfortable doing so.
DON’T make the breathing rhythmic, instead it should be smooth and slow. You can work on making it inaudible eventually.
The importance of this particular breath cannot be over-emphasized. The body and mind are closely interrelated and one influences the other to a much greater extent that medicine admitted to for many years. As an all-around “soother”, the alternate nostril breath is incomparable.