Anuloma-viloma pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing) relaxes the body and mind. This pranayama nourishes the body with oxygen, purifies the blood and improves efficiency of the brain. It lowers stress by developing harmony in various systems of the body. For managing the stress, anuloma-viloma pranayama should be practised daily.
Anuloma-viloma
Let us perform anuloma-viloma by following the steps given below.
1. Sit in the position of Pasmasana or in any other comfortable meditative posture.
2. Keep the body erect and place the hands on the respective knees.
3. Raise the right hand and place the right thumb on the right nostril and close it.
4. Inhale slowly through the left nostril.
5. Close the left nostril by the ring finger and the little finger and exhale slowly through the right nostril.
6. Again inhale through the right nostril.
7. Close the right nostril with thumb and exhale through the left nostril. This is one round of Anuloma-viloma.
8. Repeat it 10 times.
Remember the following points
Dos
- Inhale the air slowly without bulging the abdomen.
- Keep the ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 between and the exhalation.
Don’ts
- Avoid producing sound from the nose.
- Do not press hard on the nostrils.
- Avoid retaining breath (kumbbhaka) in the beginning.
Benefits
- It calms down the mind and improves concentration.
- It improves functioning of all cells of the body by providing them sufficient oxygenated blood.
- It purifies the blood.
- It improves blood supply to brain.
- It helps to regulate blood pressure.
- It helps in managing stress by reducing anxiety.
Limitation
- In the beginning, retention of breath should be avoided.
