Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
In short: Rhythm breathing is a yoga practice in which you breathe through one nostril at a time, following a gentle count: in for one, a pause for four, out for two. It’s a lovely morning ritual for the cold, dark months, to wake up your attention and settle your nerves. Begin with the gentle version, without the pause, and learn the pause with a teacher. It won’t stop you catching a cold, and if your nose is blocked, choose a simpler breath that day.
It’s a grey morning in November. The house is cold, the light is barely there, and everything in you wants to stay under the duvet. You get up anyway, a bit stiff, a bit foggy, shoulders hunched against the chill. Your breath is as small and tight as the rest of you.
This is exactly the moment I love for rhythm breathing. A few quiet minutes, sitting up with a shawl around your shoulders, and the day starts from a calmer, clearer place.
What is rhythm breathing?
In yoga, the breathing practices are called pranayama, which you could translate as the art of guiding the breath. Many of them use a rhythm: a slow count for the in-breath, sometimes a pause, and a count for the out-breath.
The rhythm I’m sharing here is written as a ratio of one to four to two. You breathe in for one count, rest with the breath held for four counts, and breathe out for two counts. So if you breathed in slowly to a count of two, you’d rest for eight and breathe out for four. The counts are your own: slow, comfortable, never a race.
And it’s done as alternate nostril breathing: you breathe in through one nostril and out through the other, gently closing each side with your fingers in turn.
Why practise it in the cold season?
In winter we tend to curl up. We hunch against the cold, we move less, we spend long hours indoors, and our breath gets smaller with us. A few minutes of slow, attentive breathing opens you up again.
Breathing through your nose also warms and moistens the air before it reaches your lungs, which feels especially kind on cold days. And the counting gives your mind something to hold on to, so after a few rounds most people feel calmer, more awake and better able to concentrate. In the yoga tradition, this kind of practice is said to build vital energy. I like to put it more simply: you feel more present in your own body.
I want to be honest about what it doesn’t do. It won’t protect you from colds or flu, and it doesn’t clean your lungs. It’s a way of looking after yourself in the darker months, alongside sleep, good food, light and movement. I shared more ideas for those in Wake up happy: your circadian rhythm in winter.
How do you do alternate nostril breathing?
Sit comfortably, on a chair or a cushion, with your back upright but relaxed. Rest your left hand on your lap. Bring your right hand up to your face: your thumb will close the right nostril, your ring finger the left one. Your index and middle fingers can rest lightly between your eyebrows, or fold down into your palm.
Close your right nostril with your thumb. Breathe in slowly through the left nostril.
Close the left nostril with your ring finger, release the thumb, and breathe out through the right nostril.
Breathe in through the right nostril.
Close the right nostril, release the left, and breathe out through the left.
That’s one round. Keep your touch light and your face soft. Do several rounds, then rest your hand and breathe normally for a moment.
How do you add the rhythm?
Start with the gentle version, with no pause at all: breathe in for one count and out for two. The out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath, and that long, slow out-breath is the part that calms you most. Stay with this for as long as you like. For many people, it’s all they’ll ever need.
The full rhythm adds the pause between the in-breath and the out-breath. With both nostrils gently closed, you rest with the breath held for four counts, then breathe out for two. Holding the breath is the part to treat with respect. I always suggest learning it with a yoga teacher who knows your health, keeping the counts short and the pause soft, never straining. With practice, and with your teacher, the counts can slowly lengthen.
If at any point you feel dizzy, breathless, tight in the chest or uneasy, stop, let your breath go back to normal, and rest.
Is rhythm breathing safe for everyone?
The gentle version, without the pause, suits most people. A few things matter, though:
If your nose is blocked or you have a cold, skip alternate nostril breathing that day. Simply breathe slowly, letting the out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath.
If you have asthma or another lung condition, a heart condition, high blood pressure, panic attacks, or you’re pregnant, don’t hold your breath, and talk to your doctor before you try new breathing practices.
Practise on an empty or light stomach, not straight after a big meal.
What helps?
1. Make it a morning ritual
Sit on the edge of your bed or by a window, wrapped in something warm, before the day gets going. A few minutes is plenty.
2. Start without the pause
Get to know the movement of your fingers and the slow out-breath first. Rushing to the full rhythm only makes you tense.
3. Keep the counts comfortable
If you run out of breath, your counts are too long. Shorten them. The breath should feel smooth and easy from start to finish.
4. Sit quietly afterwards
When you finish, rest your hands on your lap and simply notice how you feel for a few breaths. That stillness is part of the practice.
What doesn’t help?
Forcing the counts or the pause. Strain is the opposite of what we’re looking for.
Practising with a blocked nose. Choose a gentler breath on those days.
Seeing it as cold medicine. It’s a lovely way to look after yourself, and a doctor is still the right person to see when you’re unwell.
Try this for one week
Each morning, before breakfast, sit somewhere comfortable with a shawl or a blanket. Do a few rounds of alternate nostril breathing in the gentle rhythm: in for one count, out for two, no pause. Then sit quietly for a few breaths.
At the end of the week, notice: how do your mornings feel? A little clearer, a little calmer? If you’d like more ideas for starting the day well, I wrote about them in Rise and shine: the power of a morning routine. And if you prefer practices with no counting at all, you’ll find five simple ones in Breathe your way to mindfulness, and a very gentle starting point in Breathe.
Frequently asked questions
What does the rhythm in rhythm breathing mean?
It’s the proportion between the in-breath, the pause and the out-breath. In this practice you breathe in for one count, pause for four and breathe out for two, at a slow pace that feels comfortable for you.
Can I practise alternate nostril breathing when I have a cold?
If your nose is blocked, it’s better to skip it and simply breathe slowly, with a longer out-breath. Come back to it when you can breathe easily through both nostrils.
Do I have to hold my breath?
No. The gentle version, breathing in for one count and out for two, is a complete practice on its own. The pause is best learned with a teacher who knows your health.
When should I talk to my doctor?
Before you start if you have asthma or another lung condition, a heart condition, high blood pressure, panic attacks, or you’re pregnant. And if a cough, breathlessness or a cold doesn’t get better, see your doctor rather than relying on breathing practices.
Would you like some help?
Winter is the season when so many of us feel low on energy and eat for comfort, and I love bringing the breath into my nutrition coaching for exactly that reason. I run group programmes in nutrition and health, such as Six Tuesdays in Montignac. If you’d like to hear when the next group opens, write to me at hello@catherinepolet.coach.
If you’d rather work one to one, online, book a free 20-minute call. Tell me how your winters feel, and we’ll find together the breath, the food and the rhythm that help you through them.
About Catherine
I’m Catherine Polet, a holistic nutrition health coach, yoga and autogenic training teacher for more than 30 years, author and speaker. I help people find a way of eating and living that suits their own body, online in English, French, Spanish and German, and in person in Southwest France.
