Alternate Nostril Breathing

This ancient form of breathing balances the right and left sides of your brain, which helps relax the mind.

Better mental health starts with Headspace. Unrivaled expertise to make life feel a little easier, using guided meditations, mindfulness tips, focus tools, sleep support, and dedicated programs.

Try 14 days free

(gentle music) Alternate nostril breathing, also known as Nadi Shodhana, is an ancient, yogic form of breathing that can help us to increase our sense of energy and calmness. By alternating our inhales and exhales between the left and right nostrils, we balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain which allows us to experience a more balanced, stable state of mind. If it's best to do this technique while sitting upright, long spine, and with relaxed shoulders. If at any time this practice becomes uncomfortable, please, feel free to stop the technique and tend to your mind and body in a way that feels best for you....

Details

TypeWorkout

Duration4 min

About your teachers

A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
More about Andy
Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.
More about Eve
As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.
More about Dora
Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.
More about Kessonga
Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.
More about Rosie