MINDFUL MONDAY pt 5 | sitali pranayam for cooling anger & agitation

Feeling that inner fire burning a little too bright? This breathing technique is designed to cool the body, as well as the mind and emotions.

When we experience anger and agitation the brain prepares the body by sending blood to the muscles therefore raising our body temperature (as well as increasing our heart rate, blood pressure and breath rate), by practising Sitali Pranayam, an ancient yogic breathing technique we are able to lower these unwanted elevations.

The body is able to make these changes due to our Nervous System, (to find out more click here) by slowing down the breathing we are counteracting the sympathetic nervous system by engaging our parasympathetic nervous system.

It is important to remember that as much as our body can have these reactions unconsciously, we can consciously choose to help correct it.

Unlike some of the things we have looked at Sitali Pranayam is a little trickier to do in public if you are looking for an immediate fix for undesired feelings of stress, anxiety, anger and agitation. However this is great for if you are at home, or to practice regularly to help lower your body temperate etc in the long term.

BENEFITS

• cultivates a love of solitude

• reduces fatigue, bad breath, fevers and blood pressure

• improves focus

• reduces anger, anxiety and agitation

HOW DOES IT WORK

Basically we use the tongue like a straw we breath through. This means the air we take in passes over the moisture on our tongue, meaning there is more water on the breath. This higher level of moisture cools the body, and by forcing the body to cool down (combined with deeper breaths) we are forcing our fight or flight reflex into retreat.

But this isn't reduced to just when you are feeling angry or agitated, ever noticed that when your are hot you are more easily bothered? The saying hot and bothered exists for a reason right? If the day is hot try this to help you cool down physically to give you a longer fuse throughout the day.

HOW TO DO IT

1. Curl your tongue at the sides to make a 'straw'

2. inhale deeply through this 'straw'

3. close the mouth and exhale through the mouth

4. repeat step 2 and 3

Start with just 3 minutes and gradually increase this to 11 minutes.

CAUTION

This is designed to cool the body by cooling down the air you take into your lungs, therefore if it is cold this breathing exercise is not recommended so make sure you do it either somewhere warm or for not very long.

Let me know if you try this technique, don't forget to practise with me over on my YouTube channel here and my Instagram @georgie_mae_ here