Alternate Nostril Breathing: A Tool for Nervous System Regulation
By Elle Murphy, MSW, LSW
As a psychotherapist, Brainspotting Practitioner and yoga instructor, I have a strong respect for the mind-body connection, I bring tools into my therapeutic practice that embody this. Alternative nostril breathing, or Nadi Shodhana in Sanskrit is an ancient in yogic tradition, and evidence-based tool that has a profound impact on our nervous system.
Understanding Your Nervous System
Our nervous system has two primary parts:
Sympathetic Nervous System: Commonly known as "fight or flight" response. This activates when we perceive threat or stress. This can show up as increase heart rate, swallow breathing and inability to sit still.
Parasympathetic Nervous System: Think of this as opposite of the Sympathetic Nervous System. This system helps us calm down and return to baseline. When this system is activated, our heart rate slows, digestion improves, and we experience a sense of safety.
Many every day, unavoidable stressors keep us in a state of Sympathetic Nervous System activation: traffic jams, work deadlines, childrearing decisions, just to name a few. It can be difficult to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
What the Research Shows
A study on alternate nostril breathing (A.N.B) evaluated participants before practicing alternate nostril breathing and then measured their responses both immediately after practicing alternate nostril breathing for just 5 minutes and again after 6 weeks of regular practice.
The study found that parasympathetic tone was "enhanced appreciably" in participants, leading researchers to conclude that "the yogic exercise of A.N.B. influences the parasympathetic nervous system significantly."
This research demonstrates that alternate nostril breathing directly activates our body's natural relaxation response. Even a single 5-minute session can create considerable shifts in our nervous system, that strengthens the longer we practice alternative nostril breathing.
Why This Matters for Mental Health
As therapists, we often work with clients who feel stuck in stress and overwhelm. Alternate nostril breathing offers several therapeutic benefits:
Immediate Regulation: This practice can shift your nervous system in real time. When you're experiencing panic, overwhelm, or racing thoughts, you have a tool that works within minutes.
Accessibility: Your breath is always with you, making this an incredibly accessible, you don't need equipment or special environments.
Embodied Focus: The physical act of using your fingers to close each nostril gives your mind something concrete to focus on. For clients who struggle with traditional meditation or find "focus on your breath" advice unhelpful, getting other parts of our body involved can be helpful.
Empowerment: Teaching clients this technique gives them agency over their own nervous system.
How to Practice Alternate Nostril Breathing
Here's a simple guide you can share with clients or try yourself:
Find a comfortable seated position
Use your thumb to close your right nostril and your index finger to close your left nostril.
Close your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril for a count of 4.
At the top of the inhale, pause briefly. Then close your left nostril with your index finger and release your right nostril.
Exhale slowly through your right nostril for a count of 6-8, making your exhale longer than your inhale.
Keeping your left nostril closed, inhale through your right nostril for a count of 4.
Pause, then switch: close your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril for a count of 6-8.
This completes one full cycle. Continue for 5 minutes, or as long as feels comfortable.
The Invitation
I encourage you to try alternate nostril breathing in your own life. Notice what shifts for you. And when you're ready, consider how you might introduce this powerful tool to the clients who cross your path.
References:
Sharma VK, Trakroo M, Subramaniam V, Rajajeyakumar M, Bhavanani AB, Sahai A. Effect of fast and slow pranayama on perceived stress and cardiovascular parameters in young health-care students. Int J Yoga. 2013;6(2):104-110.
