Bhastrika Pranayama (bellows breath)

Bhastrika Pranayama (bellows breath)

To do this pose:

Come to a comfortable seated position on your mat. Start inhaling and exhaling deeply through your nose, filling your belly with breath each time. Once comfortable, begin to inhale and exhale forcefully and quickly with each breath, using your abdominal muscles each time and for each action of the breath. Do this when feeling lethargic and feel your whole body awaken. 

How this pose is especially beneficial for nurses: 

•  It’s stimulating. This practice is great first thing in the morning as it performs a “rinse” like action to your whole body. This increases alertness, enhances memory and cognitive action, and even increases metabolism. This can be a great way to wake up when that early alarm goes off before a 12 hour shift. 
• It cleanses your respiratory system. This type of breathing can open up your sinuses and clear out any phlegm or inflammation as well as any toxins within the lungs themselves. Especially during COVID, it’s been more important than ever to keep yourself healthy! 
• It massages the abdominal organs while strengthening the core muscles. This massage effect stimulates blood flow and digestion to rid the body of toxins while the strengthening of the core helps protect your entire body, including your low back, from those injuries that occur so often on the floor! So, do this practice to wake up and keep yourself fresh and healthy for your patients no matter what.