The Breath That Never Fails: How to Calm Your Mind in Minutes
The benefits of yoga can be frustratingly slow to manifest. What if I told you there was one yoga practice that works instantly to calm your mind and reset your stress levels? It's simple, takes just a few minutes, doesn't require any special equipment and has never failed me.
We live in a society where we expect things to work fast. We expect immediate gratification. We want results now. We shop for wellness solutions just like we shop for electric kettles on Amazon. We browse through hundreds of options, compare prices and features, check out reviews and then expect the product to be delivered the next day for our immediate gratification.
As a tech professional, you might be all too familiar with how your mind races from task to task, especially with the constant stream of notifications and distractions. Yoga is not like that. The essence of yoga is in the withdrawal of senses from the external world and turning the energy of attention inwards. This takes time and practice and can be discouraging to beginners who are looking for quick results.
What is Alternate Nostril Breathing?
And this is precisely why the practice of Alternate Nostril Breathing stands apart. This powerful breathing technique can shift the mind from going 100 miles an hour to a screeching, blissful halt. I have practiced it countless times, and in my experience, it seldom fails. Its power lies in intentionally breaking the unconscious breathing pattern we experience during day-to-day activities and replacing it with slow, methodical breathing through one nostril and then another.
How it Works?
This simple approach activates the Vagus nerve, which is the main nerve of the parasympathetic autonomous nervous system. This system controls specific body functions such as digestion, heart rate and immune system.
The slow methodic breathing, particularly on the exhale activates the nerve and up-regulates the parasympathetic nervous system while down-regulating the sympathetic nervous system responsible for our fight or flight responses. The fascinating thing about this process is that it only takes minutes and there are absolutely no drugs involved (whether legal or illegal)!
All you have to do is step away from a stressful situation, find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed, close your eyes and alternate your breath between the left and right nostrils. Within minutes, you will feel the body softening and the mind slowing down. Continue doing this for a few more minutes, and you will notice that the external world starts becoming less real as your senses start withdrawing inwards. Continue doing this for a few more minutes and the internal world starts becoming more real than the external world, as if someone put a pillow over your head. This change in perception can be extremely grounding and provides the brain with a much-needed break from the incessant stimulation of the external environment.
Why I Practice ANB Daily
I have been doing alternately nostril breathing in one form or another for many years and have long since incorporated it into my daily morning routine. As someone with a highly active, analytical mind that kicks in as soon as I wake up, I find practicing alternate nostril breathing in the morning to be a very balancing experience. It slows down my mind and creates empty space, which my mind productively fills in with ideas and thoughts after the practice is over.
Want to Try It for Yourself?
Want to experience these immediate benefits for yourself? I’ve created two helpful videos to guide you through the practice. Start with my Calm Your Busy Mind in Just 5 Mins - Learn Alternate Nostril Breath tutorial to learn how to do ANB.
Then follow it up with a Calm Your Busy Mind - Guided 6 Min Alternate Nostril Breathing Practice to experience the benefits for yourself.
I’d love to hear how it works for you. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s make this a practice we can all benefit from!