Humming breath (bee breath): how to do it, step by step

What is humming breath?

Humming breath is a yoga technique called bhramari, from the Sanskrit for bee, because of the buzzing sound. You breathe in through your nose and hum on the way out, with your lips closed and your teeth slightly apart. Some teachers also close the ears with the thumbs, which makes the hum feel louder inside your head; that part is optional.

Humming does something useful without any counting: you can’t hum and breathe out quickly at the same time, so the out-breath becomes long and even by itself. That makes it one of the easiest ways to slow your breathing, and a good one to share with children, who often enjoy making the bee sound.

When should you use it?

• To wind down before sleep, or after a busy day.
• When you notice tension in your jaw, face or shoulders. The buzz draws your attention there and helps them soften.
• Somewhere you can make a little noise. A soft hum is fine, but it is not a silent exercise.

What the research shows

The best-studied effect of humming is on nitric oxide, a gas made in the sinuses that widens blood vessels and helps fight germs. In a study of 10 healthy people, nitric oxide in the nose rose 15-fold while humming compared with a quiet breath out. A follow-up study found this happens because the vibration rapidly swaps air between the nose and the sinuses. The boost was biggest on the first hum and smaller with each hum straight after, recovering after about three minutes of quiet breathing.

Whether that has any health benefit is unknown. Claims that humming prevents colds, sinus infections or COVID haven’t been tested in trials. Studies of bhramari’s effects on heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety are few, small and mostly short-term. Its calming effect is most likely the same as any slow breathing with a long out-breath. We grade the evidence as weak.

Common mistakes

• Humming too high or too hard. Strain makes it tense, not calming. Find a low, comfortable note.
• Clenching your jaw. Keep your lips together, your teeth apart and your tongue resting.
• Squeezing out the last drop. Stop humming while you still have a little breath left, so the next in-breath is calm.
• Pressing on your ears. If you close your ears, press the small flap of cartilage gently; don’t push your thumbs into the ear canal.

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: breathe in for 3 and hum for 6, or simply hum for as long as is comfortable without counting.
• Harder: lengthen the hum to 10 or 12 seconds, or keep humming for 5 minutes at a steady pace.