How to Do Alternate Nostril Breathing in Yoga

By , SparkPeople Blogger
I don't relax very easily. I am naturally a nervous, anxious, fidgety person. (Just ask my boyfriend how distracting it can be to watch a movie with me--I'm up every 30 minutes or so and constantly readjust on the couch.)

When I started practicing yoga a couple of years ago, I dreaded the final pose--savasana, or corpse pose. It's meant to help you rejuvenate your body and reduce stress and tension. Well, this pose caused anxiety and tension in me! Lying on the floor for who knows how long, just breathing and letting go! That's hard!

Eventually, as I practiced, I grew more comfortable in savasana. I actually like it now--most of the time. And in addition, I've embraced some of the other relaxation techniques my yoga teachers have taught me, which I hope to share with you.

The first one I want to share with you is a breathing exercise that helps me feel more balanced.

Wednesday was one of those days.

There was an error on one of my bills, and I spent 30 minutes on the phone trying to straighten it out. I forgot to mail an important letter and had to turn around to get it. It was rainy, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. I was tired and overall just didn't feel my best.

By noon, I was ready for a break but had too much to do to get away to the gym just then. Instead, I closed my eyes and practiced a balanced breathing exercise. Two minutes later, I opened my eyes and felt instantly more relaxed.

It's about 3 o'clock right now, which means you're probably scrambling to finish all the tasks you need to accomplish today, the afternoon munchies are setting in, and you're wondering how you'll keep your cool.

Perfect timing.

So what is this two-minute wonder, and how does it work?

This breathing exercise, sometimes called Nadi Shodhana, helps me when I'm having a rough day. I imagine my breath flowing through my body and creating a gentle rocking sensation, like waves against the sides of a boat or a baby being held by its mother. I think about the right and left sides of my brain reaching equilibrium and settling down.

  • Find a comfortable seated position.
     
  • Place your left hand in your lap.
     
  • Take your right hand and bend in your index and middle fingers, keeping your pinkie and ring fingers and thumb extended.


     
  • Place your thumb on the right side of your nose, pressing to close off the nostril.
     
  • Close your eyes.
     
  • Take a long, slow inhale through your left nostril.
     
  • Pause, holding that inhale, as you use your pinkie and ring fingers to close the left nostril and exhale slowly through the right nostril.
     
  • Next, take a long, slow inhale on the right side, then close off the right side and slowly exhale through your left nostril.
     
  • Repeat: Inhale on the left, closing the right. Exhale on the right and then inhale on the right, keeping the left side closed. Then switch sides and exhale on the left.
     
  • Repeat for 10 breaths, focusing on the rhythm of your breath.
     
  • Breathe in positive energy, happy thoughts and motivation.
     
  • Breathe out negativity, self-doubt and stagnant energy.
     
  • Keeping your eyes closed, place your hands in your lap and continue to breathe slowly, evenly and deeply for another 5-10 breaths.
     
  • Slowly open your eyes.


How do you feel? More centered? Balanced? Calmer?

Did you try this exercise? How do you feel afterwards? Do you have trouble relaxing? How do you calm down when you're feeling stressed?