{"id":9254,"date":"2023-12-05T06:10:41","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T23:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9254"},"modified":"2023-12-05T06:10:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T23:10:41","slug":"moon-breathing-benefits-for-sleep-and-calm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9254","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Moon Breathing&#8217; Benefits for Sleep and Calm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">T<\/span>o those unfamiliar with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\">powers of breathwork<\/a>, the idea that you can change your physiological state by simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sighing-for-stress-relief\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sighing-for-stress-relief\/\">altering how you inhale and exhale<\/a> may seem too good to be true. After all, breathing is something we do all day long, automatically. But when you harness your breath in certain ways (\u00e1 la breathwork), it\u2019s essentially the physical counterpart to meditation: Meditating uses the mind to calm the body, and breathwork employs the body to soothe the mind. It\u2019s the reason why particular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/quick-breathwork-exercises\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/quick-breathwork-exercises\/\">calming breathing exercises<\/a>, like moon breathing, can shift you into a more tranquil mental state ideal for quickly drifting off to sleep.<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tiwariyoga\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tiwariyoga\/\">Angie Tiwari<\/a>, yoga teacher, breathwork and meditation coach, Ayurveda consultant, and founder of yoga membership platform <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/weareunearthed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/weareunearthed\/\">Unearthed<\/a> <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/stillmanmd.com\/about\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/stillmanmd.com\/about\/\">Leland Stillman, MD<\/a>, functional medicine physician <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nikyyoga\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nikyyoga\/\">Nikita Desai<\/a>, yoga instructor and owner of Arya Yoga Studio <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.doctorrajd.com\/about-raj\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.doctorrajd.com\/about-raj\">Raj Dasgupta, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM<\/a>, sleep doctor and assistant clinical professor at Keck School of Medicine of USC <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifewellnessprogram.com\/?r_done=1#_deo4l5obm\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.lifewellnessprogram.com\/?r_done=1#_deo4l5obm\">Sanjay Bhojraj, MD<\/a>, cardiologist and functional medicine practitioner <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p>Like other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/breathing-exercises-for-sleep\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/breathing-exercises-for-sleep\/\">breathing exercises for sleep<\/a>, moon breathing harnesses the connection of the breath to the <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/body\/23266-parasympathetic-nervous-system-psns\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/body\/23266-parasympathetic-nervous-system-psns\">parasympathetic (aka \u201crest and digest\u201d) nervous system<\/a>, says cardiologist and functional medicine practitioner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifewellnessprogram.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.lifewellnessprogram.com\/\">Sanjay Bhojraj, MD<\/a>. Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system relaxes the body by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/breathing-exercise-lower-heart-rate\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/breathing-exercise-lower-heart-rate\/\">slowing the heart rate<\/a> and reducing blood pressure. At the same time, such parasympathetic activity also tones down the sympathetic (aka \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stress-responses\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stress-responses\/\">fight or flight<\/a>\u201d) nervous system, putting you in a state of calm that\u2019s necessary for accessing deep, restorative sleep.<\/p>\n<h2>What is moon breathing?<\/h2>\n<p>An ancient Indian breathing practice called chandra bhedana pranayama in Sanskrit (which loosely translates to \u201cmoon piercing breath\u201d), moon breathing involves breathing through the left nostril, says yoga instructor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nikyyoga\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nikyyoga\/\">Nikita Desai<\/a>, owner of Arya Yoga Studio.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/moon-breathing-sleep\/\" current-title=\"The Next Time You\u2019re Struggling To Fall Asleep, Try \u2018Moon Breathing\u2019 for Calm and Tranquility\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skynesher_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-06-04\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/moon-breathing-sleep\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/moon-breathing-sleep\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/moon-breathing-sleep\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The name comes from the idea in the yogic philosophy that we all have a lunar energy within the left side of our body, and a solar energy within the right side, says Ayurveda consultant and yoga, meditation, and breathwork coach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tiwariyoga\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tiwariyoga\/\">Angie Tiwari<\/a>, founder of yoga membership platform <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/weareunearthed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/weareunearthed\/\">Unearthed<\/a>. It follows that connecting to the right side allows you to tap into a fiery and uplifting energy, while connecting to the left side (e.g., with moon breathing) allows you to slow down and steady yourself, she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMoon breathing is a really good [technique] to do if you&#8217;re feeling anxious, but it&#8217;s also a good one to do if you are trying to get yourself to sleep and you&#8217;re struggling with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-doctor-technique-anxious-thoughts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-doctor-technique-anxious-thoughts\/\">racing thoughts before bed<\/a>,\u201d says Tiwari. Indeed, anxious or stressful thoughts at night can certainly keep you up (even if you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-anxiety\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-anxiety\/\">worried about getting enough sleep<\/a>), and a breathwork exercise like moon breathing can help circumvent that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-deprivation-mental-health\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-deprivation-mental-health\/\">stress-and-sleep-loss cycle<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the benefits of moon breathing for relaxation and sleep?<\/h2>\n<p>While moon breathing has been around for centuries, recent research supports its potential benefits for mental well-being and sleep. As noted above, moon breathing can help you chill out by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, \u201cwhich is conducive to relaxation, healing, and digestion,\u201d says Dr. Bhojraj.<\/p>\n<p>According to pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepadvisor.org\/dr-rajkumar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sleepadvisor.org\/dr-rajkumar\/\">Raj Dasgupta, MD<\/a>, chief medical advisor for Sleep Advisor, \u201cpeople who practice moon breathing report experiencing reduced stress, improved sleep, and a sense of calm and relaxation.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cPeople who practice moon breathing report experiencing reduced stress, improved sleep, and a sense of calm and relaxation.\u201d \u2014Raj Dasgupta, MD, pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Indeed, a small 2022 study analyzing the <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSLS-1139625%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nature.com%252Farticles%252Fs41598-021-04461-8&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fmoon-breathing-sleep%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-021-04461-8\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\" data-aff-intermediate=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=104860X1561639&amp;xs=1&amp;xcust=STMSLS-1139625&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41598-021-04461-8\"><span>effects of right versus left nostril breathing on brain activity<\/span><sup>1<\/sup><\/a> (via encephalographic recordings, or EEG) in 30 subjects found that when the participants engaged in left nostril breathing, their brains showed greater EEG activity in the posterior region, which has been associated with being in a relaxed, restorative state.<\/p>\n<p>The connection between left nostril breathing, or moon breathing, and relaxation has also been investigated in terms of benefits for sleep, specifically. Another small 2022 study found that among a group of 149 medical students, those who practiced left nostril breathing daily for four weeks demonstrated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9564237\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9564237\/\"><span>an improvement in self-reported sleep quality<\/span><sup>2<\/sup><\/a> (based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) as compared to a control group.<\/p>\n<p>Part of the reason why moon breathing may have such a soothing effect may have to do with the reduction of air that you\u2019re actually breathing while practicing it, says functional medicine physician <a href=\"https:\/\/stillmanmd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/stillmanmd.com\/\">Leland Stillman, MD<\/a>. (After all, you\u2019re restricting the opening through which air is flowing.) \u201cReducing the respiratory rate has a tendency to improve overall respiratory mechanics,\u201d he says, contrary to hyperventilation\u2014or essentially, breathing too much\u2014which can trigger anxiety. (Just consider how your breathing might speed up in moments of stress.)<\/p>\n<p>Reducing your breaths per minute also restricts how much carbon dioxide (CO2) you exhale, raising the CO2 level in your blood, adds Dr. Stillman. \u201cCO2 is usually thought of as a waste, but it\u2019s a nutrient in the sense that it opens your blood vessels and allows blood to flow around the body,\u201d he says. By keeping more CO2 in your system, then, single nostril breathing (versus regular nasal breathing) can improve circulation, which can in turn boost your mental state.<\/p>\n<h2>How to try moon breathing<\/h2>\n<p>Part of the beauty of moon breathing is that you can use it virtually anytime, anywhere. \u201cWe get it in our head that yoga has to be 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or an hour, but even two minutes of stretching at your desk in the middle of the day is better than not moving your body at all,\u201d says Tiwari. \u201cWhen it comes to the breath, it&#8217;s even more powerful because you don&#8217;t need to roll out a yoga mat, and you don&#8217;t need to even be at your house.\u201d It\u2019s discreet and doesn\u2019t require equipment or a set of skills. Meaning, you can also turn to moon breathing whenever you\u2019re lying in bed and struggling to get to sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to practice moon breathing, according to Tiwari:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Find a comfortable position. Place your thumb underneath your right nostril to close it off.<\/li>\n<li>Inhale through your left nostril.<\/li>\n<li>Either:\n<ol>\n<li>Release your thumb from your right nostril, and exhale through your nose or mouth.<\/li>\n<li>Exhale through your left nostril.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Repeat, aiming to breathe at a steady pace with inhales and exhales of the same length.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Moon breathing is relatively easy to get the hang of, and it\u2019s associated with noteworthy benefits. The next time you\u2019re feeling jittery or anxious\u2014whether before an important work presentation or first date or, yes, when your mind won\u2019t stop racing before bed\u2014try using chandra bhedana pranayama to your advantage.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Niazi, Imran Khan et al. \u201cEEG signatures change during unilateral Yogi nasal breathing.\u201d\u00a0<i>Scientific reports<\/i>\u00a0vol. 12,1 520. 11 Jan. 2022, doi:10.1038\/s41598-021-04461-8            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Gajbhiye, Himanshu A et al. \u201cEffect of Short-Term Practice of Left Nostril Breathing on Various Sleep Parameters in the Medical Students.\u201d\u00a0<i>International journal of preventive medicine<\/i>\u00a0vol. 13 110. 8 Aug. 2022, doi:10.4103\/ijpvm.IJPVM_578_20            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To those unfamiliar with the powers of breathwork, the idea that you can change your physiological state by simply altering how you inhale and exhale may seem too good to be true. After all, breathing is something we do all day long, automatically. But when you harness your breath in certain ways (\u00e1 la breathwork), &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}