Have you ever tried a special way of breathing that helps your brain work better? It is called alternate nostril breathing. This simple practice means you breathe in through one nostril and then out through the other. Let’s learn about why this is cool and how it can help us!
What Is Alternate Nostril Breathing?
Alternate nostril breathing is a way to use your nose to take deep, slow breaths. You start by closing one nostril and breathing in through the other, then switch. It is like giving your body a little break and helping you feel calm and happy.
How Does It Help Our Brain?
Scientists believe that when we practice this breathing, it can make our memory better. Memory is how we remember things like numbers, words, and pictures. When our breathing is calm, our brain works well, and we might find it easier to learn new things.
A Special Study About Breathing and Memory
A group of researchers did a study called “Effect of Left, Right and Alternate Nostril Breathing on Verbal and Spatial Memory.” They wanted to see if different kinds of breathing could help people remember things better. Here are some cool details about the study:
Who was in the study?The study included 51 young women who were between 18 and 25 years old.
What did they do?The women were split into three groups. One group did right nostril breathing, another did left nostril breathing, and the third group did alternate nostril breathing. They practiced for 45 minutes each day for one week.
What did the study find?All groups showed better memory after doing their breathing exercises. They remembered more numbers and pictures, and they could think better. The improvements were very clear!
This study shows that using nostril breathing might be a fun way to help our brains remember things better.Reference: (PMCID: PMC4800515, PMID: 27042450)
How to Do Alternate Nostril Breathing
Here’s an easy way to try alternate nostril breathing:
Sit Down Comfortably: Sit with your back straight.
Close One Nostril: Use your thumb to gently close your right nostril.
Breathe In Slowly: Take a slow, deep breath in through your left nostril.
Switch Sides: Now, close your left nostril with your finger and open your right nostril.
Breathe Out Slowly: Exhale slowly through your right nostril.
Repeat: You can do this a few times. Try to do it for a few minutes every day.
Why Is It Good for You?
Calms the Mind: It helps you feel relaxed and less stressed.
Helps with Memory: Just like the study showed, practicing this breathing can help your memory.
Easy to Learn: You can do it almost anywhere, anytime.
Conclusion
Alternate nostril breathing is a simple exercise that not only makes you feel calm but may also help your memory work better. Even though the study we looked at was done with older students, the idea of using our breath to help our brain is fun and easy to try. So why not take a few deep breaths today and see how it makes you feel?
This blog article includes information from the study “Effect of Left, Right and Alternate Nostril Breathing on Verbal and Spatial Memory” by Rinku Garg, Varun Malhotra, Yogesh Tripathi, and Ritu Agarawal. Please check the original article for more details on copyright, license, and article notes.
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