Personal Practice: This week I have been mainly... using a Neti Pot.
A few years ago, neti cleansing is not something I would have considered adding to my yoga practice. Ironically, for someone with a history of recurring sinusitis (once so bad I couldn't speak for a week without regular doses of high strength Sudafed), the idea of sloshing salty water around my sinuses seemed so uncomfortable and therefore trauma-tinged that I only did it when there was no alternative.
But Neti cleansing - in this case specifically Jala Neti, with salt water - is an ancient yogic technique for removing impurities from the physical body, otherwise known as a Shatkarma. It assists the wellbeing and energy flow of the physical body which means we can function at our best during yoga practice and in life in general.
What is Neti cleansing?
Neti cleansing is the practice of cleaning the nasal passages and the sinuses. It can be performed in two basic ways: Jala Neti, using salt water, or Sutra Neti using string (a bit like flossing).
Jala Neti is more commonly practiced in my experience than Sutra Neti, although both are traditional Shatkarma practices which purify the body (other Shatkarmas include Kapalabhati breath, Nauli breath and candle meditation).
What are the benefits of Neti cleansing?
Using salt water to flush the sinuses helps to remove physical debris (think pollen, dust, etc) as well as bacteria which cause inflammation and illness.
Like me, you may have used a Neti pot or other sinus flush device when experiencing sinus issues, to help reduce the soreness and discomfort.
However, having a regular practice of Neti cleansing when you’re well is a way of reducing the chances of developing sinus problems in the first place by helping to keep this part of the body clean and clear. I have found it particularly helpful this year during hay fever season.
If you suffer from headaches, sinus pain or pressure, brain fog (which I find myself particularly associated with sinus congestion), sleep issues such as apnea or snoring, hay fever or other allergies, Neti cleansing can be really helpful to ease or eliminate the underlying issues.
From the point of view that it (literally) helps you to keep a clear head, I've found Neti to be helpful when dealing with stress and anxiety, not only because it can help with the side effects (brain fog, headaches, poor sleep), but because it provides a few moments of deliberate self-care, rest and focus when your mind may otherwise being doing overtime on everything that's bothering you.
Neti cleansing is definitely supportive as a personal ritual, symbolic of cleansing one’s self inside as well as outside in preparation for a new yoga practice and a new day. It clears you so that you can show up as fresh and pure as possible. I feel like I’m more ready for whatever the day has in store for me if I’ve included Neti in my routine.
When should you practice Neti cleansing?
I usually practice Neti cleansing first thing in the morning before I go about my day. It’s nice to incorporate it into a morning routine along with showering, cleaning your teeth etc and it can be part of a mindful practice for prepare for the day ahead, even if you don’t follow it with a yoga or meditation session.
If you tend to practice yoga or meditation at other times of day (e.g. in the evening) you can experiment with Neti cleansing beforehand to see what difference it may make to your practice. It's particularly good in my experience before a pranayma practice.
If sleep or snoring is a particular concern, you can practice Neti cleansing just prior to bed. This timing has the added benefit, if you’ve got allergy issues, of flushing out pollen or other irritants that may have arrived with you during the day, so you can go to bed more refreshed.
How do you practice Neti cleansing?
To start, you’ll need a Neti pot or sinus flushing device. These are cheaply and easily available to buy; I have not found anything that’s a simple alternative around the house except perhaps for a small teapot (the one cup kind), if it has a relatively long slim spout.
I normally use about 100ml of freshly boiled water into which I dissolve half a teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt. High quality sea salt may also be used. Depending upon your own level of sinus health or inflammation, slightly more salt can be used but it may sting a little.
The water needs to cool to around body temperature (ie 36-37 degrees Celsius) so you may set the salt solution up in the Neti pot as soon as you get up and then come back to it in 20-30 minutes.
Performing the cleansing over a sink or bath is recommended because the salt solution will pour in one nostril and straight out the other! Have a tissue or handkerchief ready too for after the flush.
Tilt the face up and to one side slightly. The spot of the Neti pot goes into the elevated nostril. Before your pour, take an inhale through your mouth and then exhale slowly through your mouth as you pour.
If you can’t feel the liquid flowing from one nostril through and out the other, tilt your chin gently up a little more and or your head carefully a bit more to the side. Each side will likely be a bit different.
After a few seconds, stop pouring and gradually reorientate your head. It will probably feel like being underwater, which if you’re anything like me is a little uncomfortable. Blow your nose gently to remove remaining liquid (my ears always feel odd at this point, as the sinuses are connected into the ears too). Then repeat the pouring and blowing for the other nostril.
If you have any salt solution left you can take another round of cleansing and blowing.
Then finally, pause for a moment to see how you feel or if anything has shifted during the Neti cleansing practice. Do you notice any difference?
Is there anyone who shouldn’t practice Neti cleansing?
Most people will be able to carry out this practice, however if you have an obstructed nostril (e.g. from facial trauma, historic substance use, previously broken nose etc) it will be more difficult and it’s a good idea to find a teacher to guide you. Enquire here if you’d like to work with me for this or any other reason.
If you suffer from nosebleeds you will need to exercise caution and discontinue the practice if it results in a bleed.
If you have an ear infection (as mentioned, the sinuses connect to the ears) it is not a recommended practice until you are well again.
If you’re healing from ear nose and throat surgery (ENT) then it’s not a recommended practice (but do ask your doctor about it for when you are better as it may have benefits).
Are there alternatives to Neti cleansing?
As mentioned, there are different forms of Neti out there including sutra neti which uses a string or sterilised tube passed between the nostril and mouth to clean the surface of the sinus passage, a bit like flossing. This version is only practiced with experienced teachers and not something I’ve tried myself.
There are also versions of Neti flushing which can be practiced with milk and with medical ghee- these are very specific traditional practices and not something you would normally find in a yoga class.
If, like me in the past, the idea or sensation of pouring liquid through your sinuses is too much to handle, you have the option of using a commercially available saline spray, which is a fast option.
You may also take a little more time and create yourself a nice sinus steamer with a bowl of hot water, a towel and some herbs or essential oils (I remember breathing in the scent of Olbas oil a lot as a kid- these days I often use a few drops of eucalyptus and orange or rosemary).
Have you tried this practice yet?
Let me know in the comments what you think the benefits are, or if you have used it for a purpose I’ve not already mentioned. It’s always great to hear other peoples experiences!
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