Why Alternate-nostril Breathing Should Be Part of Your Nightly Routine

Awareness of the breath is the key to practicing mindfulness.

Awareness of the breath is the key to practicing mindfulness. Breathwork has become a popular topic thanks to its ability to calm the mind, reduce stress, and bring both clarity and inspiration. Proper breathing techniques are essential to activities like yoga and meditation, and within the larger category of breathwork is a type of breathing that focuses specifically on breath coming through your nostrils.

Breathwork is a 2,500-year-old practice, but celebrities and yogis alike have rediscovered the deep value of alternate-nostril breathing in particular. Hillary Clinton used it on the campaign trail, and meditators frequently use this technique to either start or end a meditation session.

Related: What Is Mindfulness?

What is alternate-nostril breathing?

Alternate-nostril breathing is an ancient yogic technique that calms the mind and balances the nervous system, so it’s an ideal practice to prepare for sleep. Studies have shown that this type of breath control work eases perceived stress and also lowers your heart rate while practicing it.

The key essential element of this technique is to alternately close the left and right nostrils, while calmly breathing. You can perform it right in bed as the last thing you do before you turn off the light.

Related: No Luck Counting Sheep? Here Are 20 Ways To Fall Asleep Faster—Backed By Science

How to practice alternate-nostril breathing

There are a few variant forms of this technique, but this is the easiest alternate-nostril breathing technique you can use before sleep.

1. Come into a comfortable seated position, preferably with your legs crossed. The spine should be held straight.

2. Rest your left hand on your left knee or thigh, palm up.

3. Now bring your right hand up near your face. Press the index and middle fingers of the right hand against the right palm. The ring finger and pinkie are held straight up, as is the thumb.

4. With the thumb of the right hand, close the right nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, slowly and gently.

5. At the top of the inhale, release the thumb and close the left nostril with the right-hand ring finger. Exhale through the right nostril.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 two more times.

7. Next, repeat the procedure on the left side of your body. The right hand now rests on the right knee, palm upward. The left hand comes up toward the face. The index and middle fingers of the left hand are pressed against the left palm. Ring finger, pinkie and thumb are straight up.

8. With the left thumb, close the left nostril. Inhale through the right nostril.

9. At the top of the inhale, release the thumb and use the left ring finger to close the right nostril. Exhale through the left nostril.

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 two more times.

11. Now rest the left hand on the left knee and right hand on the right knee, with palms upward.

12. Inhale slowly and gently through both nostrils. Then exhale through them, again slowly and gently. Repeat this two more times.

Steps 1 through 12 constitute one round of alternate-nostril breathing. You’re inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right three times; inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left three times; inhaling and exhaling through both nostrils three times. It’s a series of three, three and three.

Each time you inhale, visualize that you are bringing positive, relaxed energy into your body. With each exhale, visualize that you are pushing the day’s stress out of your body. You can repeat the entire procedure (steps 1 through 12) as many times as you like, feeling yourself becoming ever more calm and serene as pure air fills your body.

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