How to do Sheetkari
- Sit tall on the floor or on a chair with your hands resting on your knees. Relax your shoulders and soften your face.
- Bring your upper and lower teeth lightly together and part your lips, as if smiling gently. Rest the tip of your tongue behind your teeth.
- When the timer says "Sip in", breathe in slowly through the gaps between your teeth for 4 seconds. You will hear a soft "sss" hiss and feel cool air on your teeth and tongue.
- Close your lips and breathe out slowly through your nose for 6 seconds as the ring shrinks.
- Repeat for 9 rounds (about a minute and a half). Keep every breath quiet and smooth; there is no breath hold.
- Finish with a few relaxed breaths through the nose, then sit still for a moment before you get up.
Benefits
- Cools the mouth and throat and gives a quick feeling of relief in hot weather or after exercise
- Slow breathing with a longer exhale helps the body move toward a calm, resting state
- A good cooling breath for people who cannot roll their tongue for Sheetali
- Traditionally used for excess heat, thirst and irritability; scientific research on these uses is limited
Precautions
- Skip it if you have sensitive teeth, gum problems or new dental work — cold air on the teeth can hurt
- Ask your doctor first if you have low blood pressure, and avoid it in cold weather
- Avoid with asthma, a cough, a cold or a sore throat, and practise only in clean air
- Stop if you feel dizzy, cold or breathless, and breathe normally until it passes
Sheetkari pranayama is the hissing breath of yoga: you breathe in through closed teeth with a soft "sss" and breathe out through the nose. Like its twin, Sheetali, it is a cooling practice, and it is the natural choice if you cannot roll your tongue. This page gives the Sheetkari pranayama procedure and technique, how to use the timer above, counts for beginners and experienced practitioners, honest benefits and precautions, and how it compares with other breathing practices.
What is Sheetkari pranayama?
Definition: Sheetkari (also written Sitkari or Shitkari) is a slow breathing technique in which air enters through the teeth and leaves through the nose. The Sanskrit name comes from sīt, the hissing sound you make, and kārī, "the one that makes", so it means "the breath that makes the sīt sound". In English it is usually called the hissing breath.
It appears with Sheetali among the eight classical breath practices of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, where both are described as cooling. The hissing intake of breath is the only unusual part; everything else is simple slow breathing.
How to use the Sheetkari timer on this page
This page shares the cooling-breath timer with Sheetali: 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out, 9 rounds. The voice says "Sip in through the tongue" because the same setting serves both practices. For Sheetkari, sip through your teeth instead.
- Ring grows (4 seconds): teeth together, lips apart, breathe in with a soft hiss.
- Ring shrinks (6 seconds): lips closed, breathe out through the nose.
- A chime marks each change, so you can close your eyes. Change the rounds, or switch off the voice or chime, before you press Start. Your minutes are saved in My Practice.
Counts from beginner to advanced
| Level | Pattern | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 4 in through the teeth, 6 out through the nose | 5–9 rounds |
| Regular | 4 in, 6 out | 9–15 rounds, up to 3 minutes |
| Experienced | 5 in, 8 out, counted yourself | 15–20 rounds |
Some schools add a breath hold after the inhale. You do not need it to get the cooling effect, and it is not suitable for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease or pregnancy.
When to practise and how to learn it
Use Sheetkari on a hot day, after a strong Surya Namaskar practice, or when you feel flushed and short-tempered. One to three minutes is enough. If you are wondering how to learn pranayama in general, a simple cooling breath like this is a good start: there is no force, no breath hold and nothing to get wrong except speed. Practise on an empty or light stomach, sitting upright.
Sheetkari pranayama benefits: what to expect
The main benefit of Sheetkari is immediate: cool air on the teeth and tongue, and a sense of the body cooling down. The 4-6 rhythm is about six breaths a minute with a long exhale, a pace that research on slow breathing links to a calmer heart rate and nervous system.
- Calm and stress. Slow, even breathing is a simple tool for stress and mild anxiety.
- Heat and acidity. Traditionally it is used for thirst, heat and a "burning" feeling. Some people pair it with the yoga for acidity routine; treat this as traditional use, not proven treatment.
- Blood pressure. Gentle slow breathing is part of yoga programmes for high blood pressure. Evidence for Sheetkari itself is small, so keep your medicine and your doctor's advice.
- Skin. Claims about Sheetkari pranayama benefits for skin are not backed by research. Feeling cooler and calmer is the honest promise.
Sheetkari pranayama side effects and common mistakes
Side effects are rare and mild: a dry mouth, cold or sensitive teeth, or light-headedness if you breathe too fast. Fix them like this:
- Hissing through teeth too loudly. A loud hiss means you are pulling too hard. Make the sound barely audible.
- Clenching the jaw. Teeth touch lightly; the jaw muscles stay soft.
- Breathing out through the mouth. Always close the lips and breathe out through the nose.
- Tooth pain. Stop, and use Sheetali or plain nose breathing instead.
Sheetkari pranayama vs Sheetali pranayama
Sheetali and Sheetkari pranayama are often taught together, written Sheetali / Sheetkari. In Sheetali the air enters through a rolled tongue; in Sheetkari it enters through the teeth with a hiss. The benefits of Sheetali pranayama and Sheetkari are the same, so choose by comfort: tongue that will not curl, use Sheetkari; sensitive teeth, use Sheetali.
How it compares with other breathing practices
| Practice | Effect | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| Sheetkari | Cooling and calming | Hot days, after exercise |
| Bhramari | Bhramari pranayama benefits are mainly a quieter mind; small studies on the brain and mood are encouraging, while claims for thyroid or skin are unproven | Evening, before sleep |
| Ujjayi | The benefits of Ujjayi pranayama are focus and steady rhythm | During yoga poses |
| Bhastrika | The benefits of Bhastrika pranayama are energy and warmth; it is fast and forceful | Morning, experienced students |
| Surya Bhedana | Surya Bhedi pranayama benefits are warming and energising, the opposite of Sheetkari | Cold mornings |
Bhramari pranayama steps are easy for beginners too: close the ears gently, breathe in, and hum on a long exhale. As for how long to do Bhramari pranayama, 5–7 rounds is a good start. Sheetkari is also nothing like Wim Hof breathing, which uses fast, deep breaths and long holds; if you want to know how to do Wim Hof breathing, that is a separate, much stronger method, not a cooling practice.
If you hold your breath without noticing
Many people have a habit of holding breath while they type, lift or concentrate. Sheetkari has no hold at all, and that is the point: it teaches how to take a breath slowly, let it go fully, and keep going. If you want to know how to properly breathe or how to breathe correctly at rest, the answer is quieter than this: through the nose, low into the belly, without effort. Use the hissing breath as a reminder of how to use breathing to settle yourself.
Holding your breath as a practice for sport or freediving, or trying to build up holding breath time, is a different goal and needs trained supervision. Never practise breath holds in or near water.
Sheetkari pranayama in Hindi — steps and benefits (शीतकारी प्राणायाम): सीधे बैठें, दाँतों को हल्के से मिलाएँ और होंठ खोलें। दाँतों के बीच से "सी-सी" की आवाज़ के साथ धीरे साँस अंदर लें, फिर मुँह बंद करके नाक से धीरे साँस छोड़ें। 9 से 15 बार करें। शीतकारी प्राणायाम के लाभ: शरीर को ठंडक मिलती है, मन शांत होता है और गर्मी में राहत मिलती है। दाँतों में झनझनाहट, सर्दी-खाँसी या लो ब्लड प्रेशर हो तो सावधानी रखें।
Where this practice is used
Yoga for: Acidity and Acid Reflux
More breathing techniques
Frequently asked questions
How do you do Sheetkari pranayama?
Sit tall, bring your teeth lightly together and part your lips. Breathe in through the teeth with a soft hiss for 4 seconds, close your mouth and breathe out through the nose for 6 seconds. Repeat 9–15 times.
What are Sheetkari pranayama contraindications?
Avoid it with sensitive teeth, gum problems, low blood pressure, asthma, a cold, a cough or a sore throat, and in cold weather. Stop if you feel dizzy or chilled.
What is the difference between Sheetkari and Sheetali?
Both are cooling breaths that breathe out through the nose. Sheetali draws air in through a rolled tongue; Sheetkari draws it in through the teeth with a hiss.
How long should I practise the hissing breath?
One to three minutes, or 9–15 rounds, is plenty for most people. Stop earlier if your mouth feels dry or your teeth feel cold.
What are the benefits of pranayama like Sheetkari?
Slow breathing practices help you feel calmer, give you a simple way to manage stress and teach breath control. Sheetkari adds a cooling feeling, useful in hot weather.
I keep holding my breath without realising. Can Sheetkari help?
It can remind you to breathe in a steady rhythm. Practise a few rounds during the day, then return to relaxed nose breathing. If breath-holding comes with dizziness or panic, talk to a doctor.
Sheetkari (Sitkari) pranayama kya hai, in Hindi?
शीतकारी (sitkari) is the hissing cooling breath: breathe in through the teeth and out through the nose. It cools the body and calms the mind.
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.