Yoga Breathing Before Bed: Left Nostril Breath

Periodically in class, I’ll guide my students through Alternate Nostril Breathing. This is a great breathing technique to create a sense of focus & balance, clear nasal passages & relieve sinus pressure. A close cousin to the Alternate Nostril Breath is the Left Nostril Breath. This is a calming breath to practice before you go to bed, as it relaxes and lulls you. Imagine a breath that says to your busy brain: “you are getting very sleepy…” – this is it.

Left Nostril Breath

Start in a comfortable seated position. [Place a pillow under your hips if your low back and hips feel strained seated.] Close your eyes and breathe normally – in and out through the nose with lips sealed. Using your right hand, close off your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through your left nostril. Switch and close off your left nostril with your first finger and exhale out the right. Switch and close the right nostril and breathe in through the left nostril. Switch, exhale through the right. Repeat 6-8 times, keeping a steady comfortable breath length, then breathe normally.

So in contrast to Alternate Nostril Breath, where you continue to switch sides for your inhaling and exhaling, with Left Nostril, it’s always the same: Inhale on the Left, Exhale on the Right. Because it is so effective in relaxing, calming, getting you ready for sleep, I’d encourage you to practice this breath after your nightly yoga stretches before bed, or if you wake up in the night and need a technique to find those Zzzz’s again.