Sitali (Cooling Breath)

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Breathe In

Cycle 1 of 6

10 seconds per cycle

30 seconds total

inhale

exhale

A cooling pranayama that draws breath across a curled tongue like a straw, said to cool the body and calm irritability.

Cadence: 6 bpm
Difficulty: beginner
Effect: Calming
Family: Settle
For: PranayamaRelaxation

How to practice

1.Sit tall and comfortable, and take a couple of easy breaths to settle.
2.Curl the sides of your tongue upward into a tube and let the tip poke just past your lips.
3.Inhale slowly through the curled tongue, as if sipping air through a straw, feeling it cool as it passes over your wet tongue.
4.Draw the tongue in, close your mouth, and exhale slowly and completely through your nose.
5.Repeat for several rounds, keeping the inhale unhurried so the air stays cool and comfortable rather than harsh.

When to use this

In warm weather, after heating exercise, or any time you feel overheated, flushed, or irritable and want to cool both body and temper.

Benefits

Cools the body
Soothes irritability and heat
Calms the mind
Refreshing in warm conditions

Mechanism

Drawing a slow breath across a wet, curled tongue cools and humidifies the incoming air by evaporation (the same reason a breeze feels cool on damp skin) which is the physical basis for the refreshing 'cooling' sensation the practice is named for. Layered on top is a long, slow exhale through the nose, which nudges the nervous system toward its calmer, parasympathetic side, so the effect is both a cooler mouth and throat and a steadier mind.

Evidence

Any measured, whole-body cooling from Sitali is modest and mostly subjective; a few small studies suggest short-term drops in blood pressure, but the evidence base is thin. In yoga it is classically prescribed for excess 'heat' (irritability, hot flushes, warm weather) a traditional indication rather than a clinical one. Treat it as a safe, pleasant way to feel cooler and calmer in the moment, and mind the note below about cold, dry air.

Lineage

Sitali (also spelled Shitali) means 'cooling' or 'soothing' in Sanskrit. It is one of the classical cooling pranayamas described in hatha-yoga texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, where it is recommended to reduce excess internal heat and pacify the fiery pitta quality of the Ayurvedic scheme. The curled-tongue technique it depends on relies on a bit of anatomy not everyone shares (the ability to roll the tongue into a tube) which is exactly why its sibling practice, Sitkari, exists.

Variations and progression

Sitkari (the sibling practice through the teeth) for anyone who can't curl the tongue into a tube (tongue-rolling is partly genetic).
Lengthen the nasal exhale relative to the inhale for a more strongly calming, sleep-friendly version.
Add a brief, comfortable pause after the cooling inhale to let the breath settle before you exhale.

Begin with six rounds of a slow cooling inhale and a relaxed nasal exhale. As it becomes familiar, gradually lengthen and smooth both phases; on hot days or after intense exertion you can extend to several minutes, stopping if the cool, dry air starts to feel harsh in the throat.

Practice next

Common mistakes

Inhaling too fast and hard, which leaves the mouth and throat feeling dry and raw rather than pleasantly cool, draw the air in slowly.
Exhaling through the mouth; the exhale should go out through the nose to keep the breath slow and warm the system back down.
Practising in cold, dry, or dusty air, which turns the cooling inhale into an irritant.

FAQ

I can't curl my tongue, can I still do this?

Yes. Use Sitkari instead, drawing the breath over your teeth. The ability to roll the tongue into a tube is partly genetic, and Sitkari gives the same cooling effect.

When is the best time to practice?

In warm weather, after heating exercise, or any time you feel overheated or irritable, the practice is traditionally used to cool both body and temper.

Does it actually lower my temperature?

It cools the mouth and throat noticeably and can feel refreshing all over, but any whole-body cooling is small. Think of it as a soothing, cooling sensation rather than a way to break a fever.

Safety

Avoid Sitali in cold, dry, or polluted air, and go gently if you have asthma or are prone to bronchospasm, cool, dry air drawn through the mouth can trigger airway tightening.
Breathe in slowly to avoid an unpleasant cold, dry throat.
Return to normal breathing if you feel lightheaded.
Breathwork complements, not replaces, medical care. Check with a clinician first if you're pregnant or have a respiratory or blood-pressure condition.

Breathwork is a complement to (not a replacement for) professional medical care. If you have a heart, respiratory, or blood-pressure condition, are pregnant, or feel unwell, check with a clinician before practising breath-hold techniques.