Alternate nostril breathing
Alternate nostril breathing, nadi shodhana in Sanskrit, means breathing through one nostril and then the other, closing each in turn with your fingers. It is one of the most widespread yoga breathing practices, and one of the gentlest.
- นาฑีโศธนะ · Nadi shodhana
- Gentle 4-4 · 7.5 breaths per minute
- Longer exhale 4-6 · 6 breaths per minute
- With retention 4-4-8 · 3.8 breaths per minute
In the morning or before a task that needs attention.
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นาฑีโศธนะ · Nadi shodhana
Alternate nostril breathing
One nostril after the other, to balance and clear the mind.
When to practise
In the morning or before a task that needs attention.
Alternate nostril breathing
Get comfortable, then press Start.
Planned length: 5:04
Step by step
- Sit up straight with relaxed shoulders, left hand resting on your knee.
- Right hand: fold the index and middle fingers towards the palm. The thumb will close the right nostril, the ring finger the left.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and breathe in slowly through the left.
- Close the left with your ring finger, release the thumb and breathe out through the right.
- Breathe in through the right, close it, then breathe out through the left: that is one cycle.
- Keep the breath silent and effortless. Always finish with an exhale on the left.
Cues
- • Press very lightly: you only need to close the nostril, not squash it.
- • If one side is blocked, blow your nose or switch to belly breathing.
What we know
- A study by Telles et al. (2014) measured a slight drop in blood pressure during practice in healthy adults.
- The slow pace and attention on the nostrils help many people feel steadier and more focused.
Contraindications
- • Pregnancy, heart disease or high blood pressure: no breath holding, stay on the gentle level.
- • Not possible with a blocked nose (cold, sinusitis): do not force it.
My practice
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These exercises support wellbeing and do not replace medical advice. If you have a heart or lung condition, are pregnant or live with an anxiety disorder, ask a health professional for advice.
Step by step
- Sit up straight with relaxed shoulders, left hand resting on your knee.
- Right hand: fold the index and middle fingers towards the palm. The thumb will close the right nostril, the ring finger the left.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and breathe in slowly through the left.
- Close the left with your ring finger, release the thumb and breathe out through the right.
- Breathe in through the right, close it, then breathe out through the left: that is one cycle.
- Keep the breath silent and effortless. Always finish with an exhale on the left.
Cues
- Press very lightly: you only need to close the nostril, not squash it.
- If one side is blocked, blow your nose or switch to belly breathing.
What we know
- A study by Telles et al. (2014) measured a slight drop in blood pressure during practice in healthy adults.
- The slow pace and attention on the nostrils help many people feel steadier and more focused.
Contraindications
- Pregnancy, heart disease or high blood pressure: no breath holding, stay on the gentle level.
- Not possible with a blocked nose (cold, sinusitis): do not force it.
- Stop if you feel light-headed, get tingling or any chest discomfort, and return to normal breathing.
These exercises support wellbeing and do not replace medical advice. If you have a heart or lung condition, are pregnant or live with an anxiety disorder, ask a health professional for advice.
Frequently asked questions
- Which nostril do you start with?
- The most common form starts with an inhale on the left, right nostril closed with the thumb, and ends with an exhale on the left. Some schools start on the right; what matters is keeping the same order for the whole session.
- Do you need to hold your breath?
- Not as a beginner. Retention is only added once the rhythm feels easy, and never during pregnancy or with heart disease or high blood pressure.
- How many cycles should you do?
- Five minutes, around thirty cycles at the gentle pace, makes a good session. You can go up to fifteen minutes if it feels comfortable.