Alternate nostril breathing: find your balance.
3 min, guided, free
In short
Alternate nostril breathing, or nadi shodhana, is a yoga breathing practice: you close one nostril with a finger, breathe in through the other, then switch and breathe out on the opposite side, and continue alternating. It is slow and rhythmic and many people use it to feel balanced, neither tired nor wired.
How to do it
- Close your right nostril with your thumb. Breathe in through the left.
- Close the left with your ring finger, open the right. Breathe out.
- Breathe in through the right. Switch, and breathe out through the left.
- That is one round. Keep it slow and quiet.
One of the oldest breathing practices from yoga. Switching sides gives your hands and your attention something to do, and the slow pace does the rest.
When it helps
- When you feel scattered
- Before meditation or yoga
- In the afternoon, to reset
- When you want calm without getting sleepy
How often: Three to five minutes, in the morning or before deep work.
Why it works
You guide the air through one side at a time. It needs a little concentration, which is exactly why it works when your thoughts run in circles. If your nose is blocked, just imagine the switch and breathe through both sides.
Alternate nostril breathing is an old pranayama practice. Research is still limited, so take it as a gentle, balancing routine rather than a proven fix.
Questions
Which finger do I use?
Usually the right thumb closes the right nostril and the ring finger closes the left one. Any comfortable way is fine.
Do I start on the left or right?
Classically you breathe in through the left nostril first. If you mix it up, nothing bad happens.
What if one nostril is blocked?
Then skip it today and try the resonant breath instead. Never force air through.
Related breaths
Be kind to yourself
A simple breathing exercise, not treatment. Breathe gently and stop if you feel dizzy, tingly or unwell. Never while driving or in water. If you are pregnant or live with a heart, lung or blood pressure condition, epilepsy or panic attacks, talk to your doctor before trying fast or held breaths. All breathing exercises