CStem Holistic Therapies
Alternate nostril breathing is a breathing technique that has been used for years to help reduce stress and tap into the body. It is most commonly used to call the nervous system. It can create relaxation and balance your mind back from high levels of stress back down to a more relaxing state.
A lot of people prefer to sit up nice and tall with their legs crossed. You can totally lay in bed before you wind down for the night too and practice this technique.
Close your right nostril with the right thumb and INHALE through your left nostril.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger (folding your first two fingers into your palm or resting them on your third eye), open your right nostril and EXHALE through it
INHALE through your right nostril.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb, open your left nostril and EXHALE through it.
Try to do this for at least for three minutes. Of course, you can do it as long as it takes you to achieve balance, reduce the mental chatter and feel calm.
Breathing in through your left nostril stimulates the right hemisphere of your brain. This part of the brain is where your emotions such as, feeling, calming, sensitive, intuition, and creativity live. Breathing in through your right nostril stimulates left hemisphere of the brain. The left hemisphere houses your thinking, projective, logical, reasoning emotions. Through consciously alternating your breath between your nostrils you activate and balance your whole brain.
Give it a try!
