Are Your Nostrils Trying to Tell You Something?

A few weeks ago, I went to an all-day seminar on how the immune system influences our health. The gentleman who gave the lecture, Nick Hall, PhD is prominent in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (or, as the discipline is becoming popularly known, brain science.)

I came out of the day charged up to learn even more (I’ll share it with you when I sort out all my notes), and began listening to a series of CDs he’d created - a lecture titled “I Know What to Do, So Why Don’t I Do It?” The course designed to help the listener develop greater self discipline and become healthier and more productive.

In today’s installment, Dr. Hall suggested that instead of forcing our activities around our various circadian, mood, and energy swings throughout the day, we take advantage of our physical and mental states, and then perform the activities that best suit those states.

For instance, most of us wake up in the morning full of energy (after we perform our usual morning wake-up routines – coffee, shower, whatever.) He suggests that this could be the best time to exercise or to perform a task that requires mental gymnastics – like working out a budget, solving complex problems or doing research. The late afternoon, when we tend to be at a low ebb of our energy, could be a good opportunity to do something that requires creativity.

One thing in particular caught my attention, and I’m going to try this experiment. He said many studies have shown that our brains “cycle” between using more left brain energy (activities that involve language or logic) and using more right brain energy (activities that involve creativity.)

This, I think, is a pretty brilliant way for the brain to manage its energy throughout the day. Dr. Hall said that these “cycles” last from about 90 to 110 minutes. You may have noticed an example of this if you’ve ever been lost in your writing, or, as some writing teachers call it, “in flow.” You buzz along brilliantly for a while, the words just fall into place on the computer screen or in your journal, and then, you take a break. You have a cup of tea, tidy up some paperwork, and think about what to make for dinner, and then, when you come back to your writing, you just sit there and stare at the screen. You’ve lost your momentum. According to this theory, your left brain (remember, this hemisphere, among other tasks, handles language skills) is now taking a rest and your right brain is kicking in. It could be time for you to take up a creative task like dreaming up the plot of your next novel or planning a presentation.

What fascinated me is that Dr. Hall suggested a way to determine which hemisphere of your brain is currently the more active. No, you don’t need a biofeedback machine or to stick electrodes over your scalp. You simply need to pay attention to how you’re breathing. Sit very quietly, inhale through your nose a few times (blow your nose if you’re congested), and note which nostril feels less constricted. As I’m writing this (I’ve had a very busy day, and my physical energy is at a low ebb), my right nostril seems to be doing more of the work. And, according to Dr. Hall’s hypothesis (in ancient India, hunters determined how successful they would be at the hunt, and when they should do other tasks by how their breath came into their nostrils), this means that my left brain is more active (remember, your brain’s hemispheres cross over your body.) The resting right brain causes constriction in the blood vessels on the right side of your body in such a subtle manner that you may only be able to tell because the affected nostril also become more constricted. So, it’s a good thing that I’m using my language skills now.

After you test this and determine which brain hemisphere is more active, test it again in about two hours, to see if there’s any change.

I know what you’re wondering: “I’m at work, and I have to hand in a report in two hours. According to my ‘nostril clock,’ I’m on the right side of my brain. So I’m screwed, right?”

According to Dr. Hall, you might not be. Some studies have suggested (and some yoga principles are based on it) that you can change which side of your brain is “switched on” by closing the currently active nostril and forcing the other one to do the work. As you are the best laboratory for any kind of physical experiment, try it for yourself. I’m going to try it, too.

Let me know how it works!