Sitali Pranayama: The Cooling Breath, Step by Step, and What Science Says

Sitali pranayama involves inhaling through the mouth via the tongue rolled into a tube shape, then exhaling normally through the nose. Yogic and Ayurvedic tradition presents it as a "cooling" breath, particularly recommended in summer or in cases of excess Pitta, the dosha of fire and heat. Our guide to pranayama mentioned this technique briefly; this article covers it in full, with the complete protocol and what a recent study measured about its actual effect.

Not everyone can roll their tongue into a tube — this ability is partly genetic. For those who can't, the sitkari pranayama variant, done through clenched teeth, offers the same breathing principle.

Sitali pranayama step by step: the full protocol

1. Sit comfortably, spine straight, shoulders relaxed.
2. Stick your tongue out slightly and curl the sides upward to form a tube shape.
3. Inhale slowly through the mouth, through the rolled tongue, producing a light hissing sound. You'll feel cool air passing across the tongue.
4. Draw the tongue back in, close the mouth.
5. Exhale slowly and silently through the nose.
6. Repeat for 8 to 12 cycles in a first session, without forcing or overly lengthening the breaths.

If you can't roll your tongue, don't force it: move straight to the sitkari variant, which follows the same principle through the teeth.

What research really says about its "cooling" effect

This is the most interesting, and most honest, point to report: a study by Telles, Gandharva, Sharma, Gupta and Balkrishna, published in 2020 in Medical Science Monitor Basic Research (vol. 26, article e920107), measured surface body temperature, oxygen consumption and CO2 eliminated in seventeen healthy volunteers before, during and after sheetali and sitkari pranayama practice (see the study on Google Scholar). Unexpected result: body temperature significantly increased during practice, as did oxygen consumption (+9.0% for sheetali, +7.6% for sitkari). The authors conclude that these results do not confirm the traditional description of a cooling effect, and instead suggest a mildly hypermetabolic state during practice.

This study remains small (seventeen participants) and doesn't settle the debate. But it illustrates a central principle of our editorial approach: distinguishing tradition from evidence. Many practitioners report a subjective sensation of coolness on the tongue and in the mouth during inhalation — a real, local sensation — without this translating, according to this measurement, into a drop in overall body temperature.

Why practice sitali anyway?

Regardless of its actual effect on temperature, sitali remains a breath that slows and steadies the breath, a quality shared by most pranayama techniques and associated with a calming effect on the nervous system. The sensation of coolness on the tongue, even if local, provides a pleasant experience distinct from other breathing practices like bhramari or nadi shodhana. It's a technique worth practicing for its immediate sensation, rather than while waiting for a measurable thermal effect.

Technique	Mechanism	Effect measured in the lab
Sitali	Inhale through the rolled tongue	Slight rise in temperature and oxygenation, no measured drop
Bhramari	Humming on the exhale	Shift toward parasympathetic activity (measured relaxation)
Nadi shodhana	Alternating nostrils	Balancing effect on the autonomic nervous system

When and how often to practice sitali pranayama?

Sitali is best practiced in the morning or at the end of the day, in a cool, quiet place. A short session of 8 to 12 cycles is enough, once or twice a day. It can also serve as an occasional break when feeling overheated or agitated, for example after physical exercise or on a hot day — more for its immediate sensation than for a lasting thermal effect that has yet to be demonstrated.

Precautions: when to avoid sitali pranayama?

• Cold or polluted air: avoid practicing outdoors in very cold weather or during marked air pollution, since breathing happens directly through the mouth without nasal filtering.
• Asthma or respiratory sensitivity: ask for medical advice before starting, since inhaled cold air can trigger discomfort in some sensitive people.
• Dental sensitivity or recent dental work: cool air on the teeth can be uncomfortable; space out practice after dental treatment.
• Pregnancy: the gentle version, without forcing, is generally well tolerated, but ask your midwife or doctor before starting.
• Sitali pranayama is a wellness tool; it replaces neither medical follow-up nor an ongoing treatment. Find our full set of cross-cutting precautions in our safety guide.