How to improve focus? Sharpen your mind | Brain training exercises | Memory exercises

Namaskar. Nowadays lot of people tell me that they forget the things or they can't focus on anything for long. These changes in our brain are caused by habits and our lifestyles. When we have a sedentary lifestyle, spend hours on screen and keep on worrying about things, our brain loses its sharpness. If you are looking for a technique to sharpen the brain, then you are at the right place. In yoga, there is a practice called Anulom Vilom Pranayam. This is not just a breathing exercise. Anulom Vilom is a powerful yogic technique that can control the subtle prana or bio-energy in our body. The regular practice of Anulom Vilom Pranayam balances the prana flowing into Ida and Pingala Dadi. This in turn stimulates the central channel called as Sushumna Nadi. This helps in elimination of free radicals and toxins from these nadis and helps to restore the balance between the two hemispheres of our brain. The entire nervous system is purified. It is also deeply healing and brings mental calm, purity and peace. It strengthens and sharpens the mind and relaxes it completely. You can practice Anulom Vilom in the morning or in the evening, but do it four to five hours after having your food. Cardiac or blood pressure patients and pregnant women should not hold their breath while doing the pranayam. While doing this pranayam, just keep inhaling and exhaling. Just look at how Anulom Vilom makes your brain sharp. Researches show that Anulom Vilom Pranayam balances the left and right hemisphere of the brain, enhancing communication between them. This balance leads to a better problem solving ability. It helps even in creativity and emotional stability, and that is what makes the brain sharp. The next benefit is that Anulom Vilom improves concentration and focus by increasing oxygen supply to the brain, enhance oxygenation support, neural activity and improves mental clarity. People often tell me that after practicing Anulom Vilom regularly, they are more alert and they can focus very easily. Researches show that Anulom Vilom may support neural plasticity, which is the brain's ability to make new neural connections. This adaptability is essential for learning and memory. It also helps the brain to recover from injury and adapt to new situations. Can you see in how many different ways Anulom Vilom makes your brain sharper? Now let me teach you the correct method of doing Anulom Vilom Pranayam. First, sit upright in any meditative posture, maybe Sukhasana or Padmasana. Using your right thumb, block the right nostril. Inhale through the left nostril for two seconds. Now block both the nostrils and hold the breath for four seconds, keeping the left nostril blocked and releasing the right nostril. Now inhale through the right nostril for two seconds, block both the nostrils and hold the breath for four seconds. Keep the right nostril blocked and release the left nostril and exhale for two seconds from the left nostril. Now block both the nostrils and suspend the breath for 2 seconds. This completes one single round. Start the cycle again. This time inhale from the right nostrils. Repeat for the maximum of 10 rounds. Try to maintain the ratio of inhalation and exhalation as 2 is to 4 and suspension of the breath while holding the breath for double the duration. It looks very simple but 99 out of 100 people in the class don't do it correctly. They forget which nostril to use for inhaling and then exhaling. They forget when to hold, when to leave. All this happens when the brain is not sharp. But when you keep doing this pranayama, it teaches your brain how to focus, how to be sharp. Anulom Vilom pranayama is a powerful method to sharpen the brain. While it looks very simple, practicing it correctly needs your full attention and concentration. And when you do it regularly, brain automatically learns to focus and the brain becomes sharp. Take care. Namaskar.