If you suffer from memory problems, breathing exercises may provide some help. In a study conducted by the Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, India, breathing exercises improved spatial memory scores in a group of school children who practiced forced unilateral breathing or alternate nostril breathing. To improve memory and other cognitive functions, try several rounds of alternate nostril breathing followed by forced inhalation through each nostril.
Step 1
Place the thumb of your right hand along your right nostril, and your ring finger on your left nostril. Using your thumb, gently close your right nostril. Exhale and inhale through your left nostril. Then, using your ring finger, close your left nostril. Exhale and inhale through the right. Keep your breathing slow and steady. Complete the entire cycle five to 10 times, adding more as you become accustomed.
Step 2
Close your left nostril and inhale through the right. Use your thumb to block your right nostril and inhale through the left. Continue for one to three minutes, always inhaling through the right and exhaling through the left. According to Yoga Journal, right nostril breathing can also stimulate the brain and increase energy.
Step 3
Repeat the process, inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right. Continue for another one to three minutes. You can practice left nostril breathing anytime you wish to promote a calmer, quieter psychological state.
