Credits: Social Media
I tried anti-stress ‘alternate nostril breathing’ technique but there’s a simple reason it didn’t work
Breathwork has been proven to combat stress and anxiety but I found that the alternate nostril breathing technique didnt work for me as intended.
April is Stress Awareness Month and as part of their #LittleByLittle campaign for 2024, UK-based online healthcare provider Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor have collaborated with a yoga instructor to share the aforementioned breathwork technique.
“Studies have proven that breathwork can help those experiencing stress and anxiety,” explained Peeyush Bahl, a breathwork advocate and Independent Prescribing Pharmacist at Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor. Naturally, I was intrigued to see if the method worked.
The alternate nostril breathing technique explained
To share the alternate nostril breathwork technique, the online healthcare provider partnered with yoga instructor Anthony Moran who features in an instructional video where he demonstrates the ancient method that originated in India.
Alternating nostril breathing is known for calming anxiety, reducing the stress thats found everywhere in the world and especially within ourselves, Anthony explains as the video begins before explaining the steps involved in the technique.
- Step 1: Place one hand flat on your stomach, while you place the index and middle fingers of your other hand on your forehead in between your eyebrows, applying a gentle amount of pressure.
- Step 2: Use your ring finger and thumb to press down on each side of your nose so that the nostrils close.
Anthony interjects at this point to say: Dont squeeze too hard, however, you dont want to be injuring yourself because this should be gentle and meditative.
- Step 3: Close your eyes as you begin to breathe deeply in an out of your mouth at first.
- Step 4: Then, remove your thumb from the nostril it is pressing down on and breathe in through that nostril.
- Step 5: Before breathing out, press down on that nostril again with your thumb and remove your ring finger from the other nostril. Now you can exhale.
- Step 6: Inhale through this nostril again before switching over and repeating the process on the other side.
In the video, which you can see below, Anthony completes a total of seven rounds of this technique.
During the final round, he instructs you to hold your breath for five seconds after the final inhale before switching nostrils and breathing out, holding your breath again once youve exhaled.
Anthony then spends the final minutes of the video encouraging you to feel the effects of the breathwork youve just accomplished.
- MINDFULNESS: I tried a two-minute meditation technique every day and a strange but helpful pattern emerged
I tried the breathing technique
After hearing of the supposed benefits of breathwork and alternate nostril breathing, I put the method to the test – or at least I tried to.
I began the technique by breathing in through my right nostril and all was going well.
But as I transitioned to my left nostril, I quickly noticed that I couldnt inhale as clearly through it and felt more resistance as I was breathing in.
My nostril wasnt blocked as such but the flow of air definitely wasnt as clear and was joined by a rasping, whistling sound as I inhaled.
Ive never had my nose examined medically but I must admit that it is ever so slightly skewed to the left, which may suggest that I have a deviated septum. I’m not sure if it’s always been like this or if it’s the result of being hit in the face on numerous occasions with a soccer ball (the perks of being a goalkeeper).
The septum is the dividing wall that separates the two nostrils and having a deviated septum means that said wall isnt quite in the center, one of the results of which is having trouble breathing through the nose.
While the alternate nostril breathing technique supposedly helps to reduce stress and anxiety, I only felt myself growing more concerned as I had to breathe harder to get the same amount of air in through my left nostril.
Sadly, as a result, I cant give a true review of the technique and its apparent benefits as I couldn’t carry out my trial of the breathwork method properly due to being let down by my own body.
