what’s inspiring me this moth by Meg
Staying cool in a heatwave
London in the sun is a glorious place but not without its challenges. These long hot days can take a toll and leave you feeling too hot, too tired, too stressed. But did you know you actually have built in air-conditioning capabilities? No, really. It’s called Sitali Breath, and it’s one of yoga’s summer secrets.
This ancient pranayama technique is designed to cool you down - literally and energetically. It taps into your parasympathetic nervous system (that’s the “rest and digest” branch), helping to slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and help you feel calm under pressure. It can feel a bit weird at first but I promise it's worth it!
How you do it:
1 - Place your tongue near your slightly parted lips and curl it up into a U shape.
2 - Inhale slowly through your rolled tongue like you are drinking through a straw. Enjoy the cool air as it passes over your tongue and travels down your throat.
3 - Close your mouth, exhale gently and slowly through your nose.
4 - Repeat for 10 or so breaths or as long as you'd like to.
Wild right!? Your very own internal cooling system, inside of you, whenever you need it. As you breathe, you can invite presence by feeling the effect of the cool air as it travels inside of you and noticing what else changes - slowing down your breath (especially the exhale) is always a great way to calm the nervous system, help you relax and settle your mind. The added bonus here is the cooling sensation you get as the moisture on your tongue cools the incoming air, signalling to your body to relax its heat response.
Sitali breath is such a simple, effective way to turn the heat down - physically, mentally and emotionally. So next time you're overheating, overstressed or overwhelmed, remember all you need is your breath to find a little bit of cool.
Meg x
