Find some relief from the summer heat with the cooling breathing techniques of sitali and sitkari pranayama.

Here is a short guide to follow to help cultivate an evening Bhramari pranayama practice to relax the mind and body for a good night’s sleep. Bhramari Pranayama is a breathing technique that has an extended exhale with a low humming sound coming from the throat. The practice is named after the large Indian carpenter bee, hence the nickname, Humming Bee Breath. 

Rooted in yogic tradition, the Five Nyasa—or Five Finger Breathing Technique—gently connects the annamaya, pranamaya, and manomaya koshas. This practice helps dissolve excess stress, grounds the mind, and brings a deep sense of calm.

Research shows that conscious breathing through the right nostril only will promote a sense of calm and increased happiness by decreasing the sense of stress and restlessness.

Research shows that conscious breathing through the left nostril only will promote a sense of mental focus and reduce mind wandering. 

Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing technique, is a breathing technique that involves inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other. The purpose of this pranayama is to expand our prana or life force and balance our chakras. Nadi Shodhana (nah-dee show-dah-nah) is a pranayama practice that quiets the mind and restores harmony.

A breathing technique to help us reduce stress—a simple 1:2 breathing ratio to tap into the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic nervous system aka the rest and digest system.

Experimenting with breath ratios, we’re going to revisit the box breath, but this time, with an extended exhale and followed by a much shorter breath retention. Breathing with an extended exhale will work towards strengthening our vagal tone and makes us more resilient to stress.

In his book, Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor discovers the perfect breathing rate is 5.5 breaths per minute. Let’s explore the perfect breath with a samavritti pranayama practice.

A gentle pranayama practice exploring the four breath phases using a Four Count Box Breath.