Did you know that breathing through a particular nostril can cure a headache and relieve exhaustion? Read on for more.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in
If you’re struck by a migraine in the middle of your working day, don’t pop a painkiller. What your doctor has probably never told you is that painkillers don’t help migraines – just a 5-minute breathing exercise will help.
Hold your thumb firmly against your right nostril and breathe slowly through your left nostril for five minutes. Keep the rest of your fingers straight but relaxed. Focus on your breathing, counting as you inhale and exhale. In a couple of minutes, the intensity of the headache reduces. Five minutes later, it is completely gone!
Another good technique to try on the days you’re feeling really exhausted is to hold your left nostril with your thumb and breathe slowly and deeply through the other. Five minutes later, you will feel more energetic and your tired limbs will feel better, too.
How are the nostrils connected to pain relief?
Yoga believes that our breathing is connected to our emotional and physical health. Ancient Chinese and Indian healing systems are firm believers in the power of deep breathing to heal many internal disturbances. Yoga stresses that breathing and the body’s ‘vital force’ are in tandem with each other. Thus, the deeper you breathe, the deeper is the flow of your body’s vital force. This helps in self-healing.
Also, the emphasis on deep breathing is accompanied by breathing through one of the two nostrils for specific healing. It is said that air coming in from the left nostril promotes a ‘cooling’ of the body’s nerve centres, thus lessening pain. On the other hand, air coming in through the right nostril causes warming up of the body, which relieves exhaustion and energises one to perform tasks better.
So don’t grab your medication for a headache – just breathe right!
(Picture courtesy www.lexiyoga.com. Image is used for representational purpose only)