Nostril breathing exercises for stress relief
Calm Close the right nostril. Breathe through the left. Focus Close the left nostril. Breathe through the right.
Breath Switch guides you to breathe through one nostril at a time. The left side for calm, relaxation and a slow wind down before sleep. The right side when you need focus. Both in turn to find the middle.
2.49 paid once. No subscription, no ads, no account.
Try a breathing exercise now
- Sit up straight. Lift your right hand.
- Press one nostril shut with your thumb. The picture shows which one.
- Breathe slowly through the open side. 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out.
The picture is like a mirror: its left is your left.
Ready when you areCalm: close the right nostril, breathe through the left.
Three breathing exercises for calm, balance and focus
Most of the time one nostril carries more air than the other, and the two sides swap every couple of hours. Breath Switch gives each side a session of its own, and one that moves between them.
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Calm
Left nostril
Close the right side and breathe slowly in and out through the left. Use it for relaxation after a long day or to wind down before sleep.
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Balance
Alternate nostril
In through one side, out through the other, then back. A steady rhythm that leaves you clear but relaxed.
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Focus
Right nostril
Close the left side and breathe through the right. Use it for a short lift when you want to feel more awake. Skip it if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition.
Backed by research
Breathing exercises are one of the better studied ways to relax. Here is what published studies found, in plain words, with a link to each paper.
The strongest findings
Across 223 studies, slow breathing at about 6 breaths a minute raised heart rate variability, a marker of the body's resting state, during practice and after weeks of it.
Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: a systematic review and a meta analysisLaborde and others, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2022
In 12 randomised trials with 785 adults, breathing exercises lowered stress by a small to medium amount compared with control groups, with lower anxiety scores too.
Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta analysis of randomised controlled trialsFincham and others, Scientific Reports, 2023
Across randomised trials, alternate nostril breathing was followed by somewhat lower blood pressure than in control groups. The trials were mixed in quality.
Effectiveness of alternative nostril breathing on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trialsNam and others, Complementary Medicine Research, 2024
Smaller studies pointing the same way
In a six week study of 85 students, slow left nostril breathing was linked with a calmer heart rate, and right nostril breathing with a more active state.
Slow yogic breathing through right and left nostril influences sympathovagal balance, heart rate variability, and cardiovascular risks in young adultsPal and others, North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 2014
In a study of 20 people, breathing in through the right nostril was followed by faster reaction times, and breathing in through the left by a calmer heart rate.
Differential effects of uninostril and alternate nostril pranayamas on cardiovascular parameters and reaction timeBhavanani and others, International Journal of Yoga, 2014
In a small study, 15 minutes of alternate nostril breathing was followed by lower blood pressure and a faster attention test time.
Alternate nostril yoga breathing reduced blood pressure while increasing performance in a vigilance testTelles and others, Medical Science Monitor Basic Research, 2017
After 18 minutes of alternate nostril breathing, anxiety scores fell further than after simply paying attention to the breath.
Volitional yoga breathing influences attention and anxiety: an exploratory randomized crossover studySharma, Kala and Telles, Complementary Medicine Research, 2022
To be fair to you: most nostril studies are small, and results vary from person to person. Much of the benefit may come from the slow pace itself, which is why every session is paced slowly. The popular idea that the left nostril feeds the right brain, or the right nostril the left, rests on a few tiny studies, so we do not claim it.
What is in the app
Eight guided sessions
Left Side Calm, Moon Breath, Right Side Wake Up, Sun Breath, Alternate Nostril, Focus Reset, Alternate With Pause and Sleep Wind Down, from 2 to 15 minutes.
Paced like the studies
Every session runs at about 5 to 6 breaths a minute, the slow pace used in published breathing research. Pauses are short and never held after the breath out.
A light to follow
A glowing orb shows which side to use and when to breathe in and out. Turn on a soft tick in your hand and you can close your eyes.
Your history, on your phone
Each session you finish is kept on the device, so you can look back on your practice.
Reminders if you want them
Turn on a gentle daily reminder and pick the time. It is off until you choose it.
Fully offline and private
No internet permission, no ads, no account, no analytics and no tracking. Nothing you do leaves your phone.
Stress relief in a few slow breaths
2.49
Paid once on Google Play. Prices can differ by country.
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zanoshky.breathswitch
Questions
How do I close one nostril?
Rest your thumb or ring finger lightly on the side of your nose you are not using. Press only enough to stop the air. Breathe slowly and quietly, never forced.
Which side is which?
In small studies, slow breathing through the left nostril was linked with a calmer heart rate, and through the right nostril with a more alert state. Switching between them, alternate nostril breathing, is the most studied of the three. Results vary from person to person.
Does it switch on one side of my brain?
That popular idea rests on a few tiny studies from the 1980s and 1990s, and newer work does not back it up. So we do not claim it. What is well supported is that slow breathing helps most people relax.
What if one side of my nose is blocked?
Never force air through a blocked side. If you have a cold or allergy, breathe gently through both sides instead and try again another day.
Is it safe?
Slow breathing is gentle for most people, and the app has no fast or forceful breathing. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy, light headed or tingly. Skip the right side sessions and the pauses if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, or are pregnant, and ask your doctor before you start.
Does it need the internet?
No. The app does not ask for internet access, so it works fully offline and cannot send anything anywhere.
What data does it collect?
None. Your settings and session history stay on your phone. There is no account, no ads and no analytics. The privacy policy has the details.
Is there a subscription?
No. You pay 2.49 once on Google Play and every session is yours.
Is this medical advice?
No. Breath Switch is for relaxation and wellbeing. It does not treat, cure or diagnose anything, and it does not replace your doctor or your medicine.