Breathing exercises can be helpful to reduce anxiety and stress and help you to relax at bedtime. The following breathing techniques can all be done quickly on your own to help encourage your mind and body to relax and make sleep more comfortable.
Abdominal breathing is a kind of deep breathing into the abdomen rather than shallow breathing in the chest. The following steps will ensure that you are breathing from your diaphragm.
As you breathe, make sure to inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Keep your face comfortable as you do this. Breathe in and out while counting to ensure that you are breathing gradually. Relax and concentrate on the sound of your breath [1].
Continue breathing like this for some time, such as 10 or 15 minutes. Practice this breathing regularly, such as daily once.
Once you’ve become comfortable engaging in deep abdominal breathing, practice it when you find yourself becoming tense or anxious.
This breathing type is useful because it helps slow down the multiple functions in your body that can keep you anxious and tense. Allowing yourself to breathe deep will slow down your heart rate and make it simpler to fall asleep.
[Also Read: Breathing Exercises for Asthma]
Once you have gained mastery of the art of abdominal breathing, you can add in a mantra that helps you focus on your breath’s relaxation aspect. Do as below to add in a mantra while you breathe.
Make sure to pause before you breathe out and before you breathe in. As you breathe out, become aware of any stress in your body and let it go.
You can even use your visualization to imagine your body, accepting relaxation, and letting go of stress. Imagine these experiences as visual events such as air entering in and out of your body [2].
Do this for 10 to 15 minutes until you start to feel sleepy.
[Also Read: Breathing Exercises for Stress]
4-7-8 breathing exercise is another method to relax so that you can fall asleep. Follow the steps below to perfect this kind of breathing.
It’s essential to note that you should breathe in quietly but breathe out while making a nose when you breathe like this. Place your tongue in the same place throughout the whole exercise. Ensure that you maintain the ratio of time for inhale/holding/exhale, which is most critical.
If you want to do everything quicker the initial few times, you do this (if you feel holding your breath for this long is challenging), feel free to modify the time and work your way up as you get habituated to the technique.
Practice breathing like this two times a day (again, only do 4 breaths at a time). Do this consistently for 30 days. As you master it, you can extend to 8 breaths.
Now, when you find it challenging to sleep, practice your 4-7-8 breaths.
[Also Read: Breathing Exercises for Boosting Immunity]
Have you heard of the body scan method to help you relax and fall asleep? This method involves scanning your body for signs of tension so that you can overcome these and fall asleep. Follow the steps below to practice this method.
Follow this method, and you should find both your body and mind begin to relax. Before you are aware of it, you will be drifting off to slumber!
[Also Read: How to Fall Asleep Fast]
Did you know that counting can aid you to drift off? Follow the advice mentioned here to help you count your way to an excellent night’s sleep.
There are multiple variants on this counting breath sequence. For instance, you could count backward from 99 to help you drift off. See suits you best and practice it until you feel drowsy.
The next time you find it tough to drift off, try practicing one of the above 7 breathing exercises for better slumber. If you still struggle, considering visiting your physician to see if there is an underlying cause of your poor sleep or insomnia.