How to do Nadi Shodhana
- Sit upright in Sukhasana, Siddhasana or on a chair. Keep your spine long, chin level and shoulders soft.
- Rest your left hand on your knee in Chin mudra. Bring your right hand into Nasagra mudra: index and middle fingertips rest lightly between the eyebrows, thumb beside the right nostril, ring finger beside the left.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and breathe in through the left nostril for 4 counts.
- Close both nostrils and hold the breath gently for 4 counts, with no strain in the face or throat.
- Release the thumb and breathe out slowly through the right nostril for 8 counts.
- Breathe in through the right for 4, hold for 4, and breathe out through the left for 8. This completes one full cycle; the timer labels show each side.
- Do 9 rounds to start (about 2.5 minutes), then rest your hand and breathe naturally for a minute before you open your eyes.
Benefits
- The long exhale helps slow the heart rate and settle the mind
- Studies of slow alternate nostril breathing suggest it may lower blood pressure and stress in the short term
- Trains steady, controlled breathing and longer attention span
- A good bridge from asanas into meditation or sleep
- Traditionally said to cleanse and balance the energy channels (nadis)
Precautions
- Skip the breath hold if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma or are pregnant; breathe normally through the "Hold" phase or use the Anulom Vilom timer instead
- Never hold the breath until you feel strain, pressure in the head or panic
- With asthma or COPD, keep the counts short and your inhaler nearby
- Stop if you feel dizzy, light-headed or anxious and breathe normally
Nadi Shodhana pranayama is a slow alternate nostril breathing practice with a short hold (kumbhaka) after each inhale and an exhale twice as long as the inhale. Nadi Shodhana is a classic yoga preparation for meditation and one of the most studied breathing techniques. Below you will find what the name means, how to use the 4-4-8 timer, a ratio plan from beginner to advanced, the benefits and contraindications, and a clear answer to the Nadi Shodhana vs Anulom Vilom question.
What is Nadi Shodhana pranayama? Meaning and pronunciation
Nadi means "channel" or "flow" and shodhana means "cleansing" or "purifying". So Nadi Shodhana is "channel-cleansing breath". How to pronounce Nadi Shodhana: the phonetic pronunciation is NAH-dee SHOW-dah-nah. In English, Nadi Shodhana pranayama is also called alternate nostril breathing. In yoga philosophy the body has thousands of nadis carrying prana, the life force; two important ones start at the left and right nostrils. This practice is meant to clear and balance them.
It is also called Nadi Shuddhi pranayama (shuddhi means "purity", sometimes spelled Suddhi), and in some schools Anuloma Viloma; the steps and benefits are the same. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes it with long breath holds; the version here is gentler. So when you read that it is a "cleansing breath", that means cleansing in the yogic sense. It does not detox your lungs or freshen your breath.
How to use the Nadi Shodhana timer
The timer follows a 4:4:8 pattern. Each timer round is half a cycle: in through the left, hold, out through the right; the next round goes in through the right and out through the left. The labels highlight the nostril, the ring grows as you breathe in, stays full while you hold, and shrinks as you breathe out.
- 9 rounds take about 2.5 minutes. Set Rounds to 20 for about 5 minutes or 40 for about 10 minutes. Keep an even number so you finish on the left side.
- If 8 counts out feels too long, breathe out as slowly as you comfortably can and wait for the next cue.
- Your practice minutes are saved on My Practice.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama ratio for beginners to advanced
The ratio is inhale : hold : exhale. The technique and procedure stay the same at every level; only the counts change, and you build them over weeks, not days. Move up only when the current level feels easy for 10 rounds.
| Level | Ratio | Example counts |
|---|---|---|
| First week (no hold) | 1 : 0 : 1 | 4 : 0 : 4, as in Anulom Vilom |
| Beginner (this timer) | 1 : 1 : 2 | 4 : 4 : 8 |
| Intermediate | 1 : 2 : 2 | 5 : 10 : 10 |
| Advanced, with a teacher | 1 : 4 : 2 | 5 : 20 : 10 |
How long to do Nadi Shodhana pranayama? Start with 3–5 minutes a day and work up to 10–15 minutes. The best time is early morning on an empty stomach, after your asanas, or in the evening to wind down. Lying down is fine when you are unwell, but skip the hold in that position.
Benefits of Nadi Shodhana pranayama
Research on alternate nostril breathing is mostly small, short studies, but the results point the same way: slower breathing with a long exhale can lower heart rate and blood pressure for a while and reduce feelings of stress. Some studies also report better attention and reaction time. Here is how that applies to common questions:
For hypertension
Nadi Shodhana pranayama for hypertension is only safe without the hold. Slow alternate nostril breathing may help lower blood pressure a little over weeks, alongside your medicine. Follow the plan on yoga for high blood pressure.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama for sleep, anxiety and migraine
The long exhale activates the body's rest response, which is why this practice appears in yoga for sleep and yoga for anxiety routines. Between migraine attacks, regular relaxing breathing may help some people; during an attack, rest in a dark room.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama for asthma
Slow nasal breathing can help some people with asthma feel more in control of their breath. It is not a treatment for an attack. Skip the hold if you feel tight, and see yoga for asthma.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama benefits for female and male practitioners are the same. There is no good evidence that it changes skin or body weight directly; calmer sleep and lower stress are the realistic gains. For arthritis it will not change the joints, but relaxing breathing is part of many programmes in yoga for arthritis, where it may help you cope with pain.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama vs Anulom Vilom: same or different?
Both are alternate nostril breathing, so many teachers treat them as one practice with two names. The common difference in India is simple: Anulom Vilom is the basic version with no hold, and Nadi Shodhana pranayama with kumbhaka adds a breath hold and a longer exhale. Learn the no-hold version first, then add the hold.
You may also see it paired with Kapalbhati. The usual order is Kapalbhati first, to energise, then alternate nostril breathing to calm the system. After that, sit for a few minutes of meditation. For single-nostril practices and the benefits of Surya Bhedi pranayama, see Surya Bhedana and its cooling partner, Chandra Bhedana.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama side effects, precautions and common mistakes
- Holding too long. A hold that makes you gasp afterwards is too long. Shorten it.
- Squeezing the nose. Light pressure on the soft part of the nostril is enough.
- Rushing the exhale. The long exhale is the calming part. If you run out of air early, the inhale was too big.
- Lifting the elbow. Let the right elbow rest against the chest, or support it with the left hand.
Side effects are rare when you practise gently: light-headedness, a racing heart after long holds, or anxiety in people prone to panic. If any of these happen, drop the hold and breathe normally.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama in Hindi: Nadi Shodhan pranayama steps and benefits
नाड़ी शोधन प्राणायाम — हिंदी में: सुखासन में सीधे बैठें। दाएँ अँगूठे से दायाँ नथुना बंद करके बाएँ से 4 गिनती तक साँस लें, दोनों नथुने बंद करके 4 गिनती तक रोकें, फिर दाएँ से 8 गिनती तक धीरे-धीरे साँस छोड़ें। फिर उल्टी तरफ़ से दोहराएँ। रोज़ 5–10 मिनट करें। इससे मन शांत होता है, नींद सुधरती है और तनाव कम होता है। हाई ब्लड प्रेशर, हृदय रोग या गर्भावस्था में साँस न रोकें।
Where this practice is used
Chakras: Ajna (Third Eye Chakra) · Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)
Yoga for: Back Pain · Sciatica · Neck Pain and Cervical Spondylosis · Desk Workers and Sitting All Day · Hip Pain and Tight Hips · Slip Disc (Herniated Disc) · Spinal Stenosis · Spondylolisthesis · Degenerative Disc Disease · Scoliosis · Fibromyalgia · Chronic Pain · Lupus · High Blood Pressure
More breathing techniques
Frequently asked questions
What is Nadi Shodhana pranayama?
It is alternate nostril breathing with a short breath hold and a long exhale. The name means "channel cleansing". It is used to calm the mind before meditation or sleep.
What is the best ratio for Nadi Shodhana?
Beginners can use 1:1:2, such as 4 in, 4 hold, 8 out, which is what the timer on this page uses. The traditional 1:4:2 ratio is for experienced practitioners under guidance.
Is Nadi Shodhana the same as Anulom Vilom?
They are closely related. Anulom Vilom is usually taught without a breath hold; Nadi Shodhana pranayama also known as Nadi Shuddhi often includes a hold and a longer exhale.
Can I do Nadi Shodhana with high blood pressure?
Yes, but without the breath hold. Breathe in and out slowly through alternate nostrils, keep taking your medicine, and ask your doctor.
How long should I do Nadi Shodhana?
Start with 3–5 minutes and build up to 10–15 minutes a day. Morning on an empty stomach or evening before bed both work well.
What are Nadi Shodhana pranayama benefits and contraindications?
Benefits include a calmer mind, slower breathing and possibly lower blood pressure. Avoid the hold with high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma or pregnancy, and stop if you feel dizzy.
Can Nadi Shodhana pranayama be done lying down?
Yes, if sitting is not possible. Skip the breath hold and keep the breath slow and quiet.
Nadi Shodhana pranayama kaise kare?
Sit straight, close the right nostril and breathe in through the left for 4, hold for 4, breathe out through the right for 8, then reverse. The Hindi box above explains it step by step.
Breathing practices are safe for most people when done gently. Stop if you feel dizzy, anxious or short of breath, and ask your doctor first if you have heart or lung disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy or are pregnant.