A Simple Yogic Breath Technique to Calm Your Mind and Body

Alternate nostril breathing for stillness and relaxation.

Photo by Amelia Bartlett from Unsplash

There’s a simple breath exercise in yoga that you can use as a tool to increase calm, reduce anxiety and stress, and boost your mental performance. Best of all, you don’t need to do any fancy poses to try it out.

Although primarily known for its physical postures, the practice of yoga is also deeply focused on control of the breath through certain techniques known as Pranayama. Yogis have been perfecting the art of breath control and retention for centuries. Although the practices have ancient roots, they are still just as effective today.

Breathing techniques can have a variety of benefits, such as improved respiratory and cardiovascular function and stress reduction. Many people likely know about more popular breath work like 4x4 “box breathing.” But yoga, in my opinion, is an untapped base of knowledge for better living.

As a certified yoga instructor, I practice and teach Pranayama breathing exercises, and can personally attest to their beneficial effect on the mind and body. More than that, there’s actual science to back up their benefits, too.

While there are many breathing exercises in the practice of yoga, my personal favorite is alternate…