This is How I Stay Calm In Traffic.

Do you ever feel irritated sitting in traffic?

If you're like me, and many other people, than yes, you get irritated and frustrated while being stuck in traffic. You may feel hopeless, mad or out of control.

Dare I say, road rage...?!

I want to pass along a little breathing method which has helped me overcome some of my driving stressors.

It is an easy breathing technique called, Alternate Nostril Breathing. Yes, it's exactly like it sounds, simple right?

The Sanskrit name for alternate nostril breathing is Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. which means “subtle energy clearing breathing technique”,  and has shown to have stress reducing benefits. [1]

The benefits: Relax and re-energize. Clear you mind. This may help to avoid unnecessary stress and reduce the amount of stress in your life. Enjoy the small moment of peace while focusing on your breath.

The technique:
Start by bringing your hand up to your nose, grab the end of your nose with your thumb and
index finger.

Gently squeeze, making sure you can block the airways.

Release the pressure from your nose.

Close your mouth through this exercise, breathing through one of your nostrils at a time.

Apply pressure with your thumb so one side of your nose is blocked off.

Breathe in through the side that is left open. A deep breath where you feel like you can’t take in
any more air, hold it, then exhale through the same nostril, keeping pressure on the one side.

Next, switch fingers so that your thumb is off the nose and your index finger is blocking the
opposite nostril.

Inhale through this now open nostril. Deep breath again, make sure you keep your mouth shut,
hold your breath in for a moment, enjoying that gulp of oxygen, then exhale through the same,
free flowing nostril.

Keep up this practice.

Covering one nostril with a finger, breathing in and out on the same side, then releasing the
index finger and covering the opposite nostril with your thumb (or other finger) and then deep
breath in and out.

While practicing this, in your mind, you may say the words, inhale… , exhale…, if your mind
can’t stop focusing on the surrounding distractions.

And remember, it is long, slow, deep breathes. Enjoy this time you have to focus on breathing.
It is close to 11 k gallons of air we breathe a day…that is a ton of oxygen you are flooding into
your system.

Enjoy the time with your breath. Your body will thank you, your spirit will thank you and your mind will thank you. Breathing is a major contributor to your overall well being.

Thank you for reading about this relaxing breathing technique to try next time you get upset in traffic.

My hopes are that it will help you find a moment of peace and avoid stress.

Remember stress does a lot of harm inside our bodies. With this breathing technique, the body realigns it's two working halves and subtly clears energy.

This practice helps me keep a clear mind and purpose of the day.

If you would like more details, watch this 4 minute tutorial on alternate nostril breathing.
[ Watch tutorial on Nadi Shodhana Pranayama here ]

They describe the technique and it's benefits wonderfully!

Please try this next time you feel a little heated behind the wheel.

Many blessings ~




Sources:
[1] Pubmed article; Differential effects of uninostril and alternate nostril pranayamas on cardiovascular parameters and reaction time