One of the more accessible techniques in a traditional Prānāyama sequence, Nadī Shodhana is now popular in Western culture too. (You may hear it referred to as alternate nostril breathing or channel-cleaning breath.) Here’s a primer on the benefits of the practice and how to work it into your life. Alternating breath between the two nostrils is thought to promote balance through the body’s midline and these two Nadis, which can be compared to the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system in Western medicine. “When we balance the breath through these two channels, we balance the self,” Matluck adds. “This typically has a calming effect on the nervous system, further supporting any healing process.” Some adaptations of the practice, like “sun breathing” or “moon breathing,” intentionally target either the right or left nostril on its own, for a more energizing or relaxing practice respectively. Editor’s Note (January 24, 2021): This article was originally published on July 31, 2020. A previous version of this article indicated the study referenced had participants practice Nadī Shodhana for 15 minutes per day. We have since clarified this to indicate that the study had participants practice Nadī Shodhana for 30 minutes per day. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
