5 Pranayamas To Beat The Heat This Summer

How ancient breath work practices can help keep you cool on those hot summer days 🌞🥵

Here in the UK, the heat can sometimes become unbearable, no matter how many ice packs you use or fans you switch on - you just can’t seem to cool down. This is where pranayama can help you.

If you don’t know already - pranayama is an ancient Indian practice that involves control of the breath. “Prana” translates to life force, and the breath is believed to be just that. So when we learn to voluntarily breathe and retain breath inside, we can in turn bring more life force into the body. Every pranayama practice has a different effect, some energising, some neutralising, and the ones we will focus on today are cooling. Certain pranayamas can work to cool down the body, perfect for these hot days here in the UK. So here’s my top 5 and how to do them:

DISCLAIMER: If you have respiratory issues, always be careful practice pranayamas. Only practice for the amount of time that feels comfortable, if in doubt - check with your medical advisor first before practicing.

1. Sheetali Pranayama

Sheetali literally translates to cooling, so this is a perfect one to practice when you’re hot.

How to do: Sit tall in a comfortable position, roll your tongue to create the “o” shape with your mouth. As you inhale either through the rolled tongue, feel how the breath that travels in is cold, which will help to regulate your body temperature. Start with 10 rounds as a beginner.

2. Sitkari Pranayama

Sitkari is the alternative to Sheetali if you cannot roll your tongue.

How to do: You bring your teeth together almost in a gritted expression and inhale through the closed teeth. Start with 10 rounds as a beginner.

3. Brahmari Pranayama

Also known as “Bumble Bee” breath, this is a great one for reducing anxiety as well as keeping you cool.

How to do: Sit tall, cover each ear with the thumbs, pinky fingers to the nostrils, and the rest of the fingers gently rest over eyes. Breathe in deep through the nose and then exhale through a humming noise through a closed mouth. Mimicking the buzzing noise a bee makes. Start with 10 rounds.

4. Nadi Shodhana

Alternate nostril breathing allows you to cleanse the air that travels through the body, regulating your nervous system and bringing you to a better state of zen.

How to do: Sit tall, keep your left hand rested on your knee or in Gyan mudra (where second finger and thumb touch), with your right hand bring your second and third finger into the palm (known as Vishnu mudra). Bring the right thumb to right nostril and inhale through your left. Close both nostrils with your right fingers and the right thumb for a few seconds, and then lift the right thumb off the right nostril to breathe out. Then breathe in through the right nostril and repeat on the other side. Practice for 2 minutes to begin.

5. Ujjayi Pranayama

This pranayama can be both energising and cooling, if you do it right on a hot day - it can help calm the body and prevent overheating.

How to do: Find a comfortable position and work to breathe in AND out through the nose, pay attention to the sound of the breath to help calm the mind. Start with 10 breaths to begin.

Hope this post helps!🩷