Shitali Pranayama (cooling breath)

Shitali Pranayama (cooling breath)

To do this pose:

Come to a comfortable seat on your mat. Rest your hands on your knees in any mudra you find comfortable or simply with your palms up. Let your eyes close and start to come into your breath. Roll up your tongue into a tube shape and breathe in through your mouth and tongue to your maximum lung capacity. Bring your tongue back into your mouth and relax it as you exhale slowly out through your nose. Repeat this cycle at least a total of four rounds.

How this pose is especially beneficial for nurses: 

• It cools the body. Sometimes, nursing is not only mentally exhausting but physically exhausting as well. After running between patients, pushing a bed to get a CT scan, or doing compressions during a code, you’re more than likely sweating. Doing this breathing exercise is a quick and effective way to relax and cool your body back down before moving on with your day. 
• It encourages the nerves and muscles to relax. Your body goes into the fight or flight state multiple times during every single shift, whether it’s a short moment when you get a low blood pressure or a long moment of coding your patient for an extended period of time. This state can leave your body buzzing even long after the event is over. Doing this breathing exercise can help stimulate your parasympathetic rest and digest state and calm down those buzzing nerves.