Heat stress is a growing concern as global temperatures rise, and your breathing offers a powerful but often overlooked cooling mechanism. In yogic tradition, Sitali pranayama (cooling breath) has been used for thousands of years to reduce body temperature. Modern physiology confirms the mechanism: breathing through a curled tongue or pursed lips creates evaporative cooling in the oral cavity, and the cooled air passing over the extensive blood vessel network in your mouth and throat reduces core temperature measurably.
Beyond active cooling techniques, managing your breathing rate in hot conditions prevents the hyperventilation that often accompanies heat stress. When your body overheats, the natural tendency is to breathe faster, which actually increases metabolic heat production and worsens dehydration through increased water vapor loss. Slow, controlled nasal breathing in hot conditions conserves moisture, reduces metabolic heat, and maintains the CO2 levels needed for efficient oxygen delivery.
For athletes, outdoor workers, and anyone exercising in heat, a pre-cooling breathwork protocol can extend performance and reduce heat-related risks. Practicing Sitali or Sitkari breathing for 5-10 minutes before heat exposure has been shown to lower resting core temperature, providing a thermal buffer that delays the onset of heat stress during subsequent activity.