UNC Healthy Heels

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the end of the semester pressure already and I figure I am not alone. Here is a breathing technique that I use to help calm down and practice mindfulness. Breathing exercises are great because anyone can do them, they are free, and you can do them anywhere. For a calming exercise, try these steps:

1. Place your right thumb over your right nostril. I’m serious. Now.
2. Close your mouth and breathe very deeply, very slowly through your left nostril. Do this 30 times.
3. Feel your brain and body relax.

This exercise is called Moon Breath. It is the calming half of the exercise Sun and Moon Breath.  If you want to achieve balance, you can alternate between breathing through the right and left nostrils. If you want to perk up, you can practice Sun Breath, which is breathing very slowly and deeply through your right nostril. Happy breathing!