Alternate Nostril Breathing (Breath)

Have you ever heard the word “pranayama” from yoga? It’s made up of two parts: prana, which means life force or breath, and yama, which means control. So a pranayama technique is essentially a way of managing the breath.

Today’s exercise is a bit of a departure from other exercises in the How To Warm Up video series because it doesn’t directly pertain to your voice. But I share it because I find that it’s my absolute go-to way to calm down when I’m feeling anxious or uncentered. No joke – I have used this technique to relax while feeling panicked on the NYC subway, and one time I even did it for 45 minutes straight while I was feeling nauseous on a ferry ride!! 🚉 🚢As you can tell, I swear by it. And having now shared this ancient yogic breathing practice with lots and lots of people who agree how amazing it is, I figured it was important to share!

So, in this breathing video, you’ll learn a simple sequence to breathe in and out of alternating nostrils in order to balance the nervous system and the two hemispheres of the brain. I highly recommend you try it.

Watch the Alternate Nostril Breathing video here:

Let me know how this practice goes for you and if it helps you feel more calm and centered.

xo,