5 Best Breathing Exercises For Sleep

After a demanding and long day, you’re undoubtedly accustomed to experiencing a restless night of tossing and turning. In fact, some of us go through these evenings frequently. According to research, one-third of individuals experience chronic insomnia, compared to about 30% of adults who experience acute insomnia. The main causes of insomnia, a sleep condition that makes it difficult to fall asleep, are stress and worry.

There is no assurance that you will fall asleep or receive the kind of rest you need to be effective the next day if you have a lot on your mind and are not calm before bed. In order to achieve the finest sleep possible, your body and mind must be calm before bed. However, how can you find inner peace while you’re under pressure?

What Does Breathing Techniques Entail?

For millennia, people have utilised breathing exercises as a means to calm their nerves, manage stress, and find their centre. They can be used to stop panic episodes as well as to help you calm your thoughts. The use of breathing exercises is particularly beneficial for those with generalised diseases such as PTSD, ADHD, or other. They are not only for grownups, though. They are also used by kids as a kind of relaxation, particularly by hyperactive kids. These breathing techniques are for everyone who wishes to relax more in their life and enhance their mental health. They are most useful, nevertheless, when used to induce sleep. Stress at night causes your heart rate to increase and your energy level to rise, making it difficult to fall asleep. According to research, deep breathing is a stress-reduction method with a variety of health advantages, including:

• lowering bodily tension, stress, and anxiety
• aids in reducing violent conduct or irrational reactions
• minimising the effects of asthma, allergies, or breathing issues
• lowers blood pressure and heart rate
• potential for long-term practice to enhance heart health
• enhances diaphragm health and function
• resets and neutralises your autonomic nervous system.

It is essential to highlight that without good sleep hygiene, breathing exercises for sleep will not function as intended. Make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to relaxation and suited for comfort. To promote serenity, your bedroom should be quiet, and chilly, and you might want to think about reducing the lights. You should sleep on a supportive mattress to enhance you sleep comfort. Buy mattress online that suits your comfort preferences and provide optimal support for your back and spine. If you’re planning to buy mattress online, then you can try SmartGRID Mattress for your healthy sleep journey.

Sleep breathing techniques that are quick and simple

Research shows that the following 5 breathing techniques will help you unwind before night and promote mental calmness for better sleep.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Stomach or belly breathing are other names for diaphragmatic breathing. It mostly concentrates on the diaphragm, a muscle located above your stomach and at the base of your lungs. This method attempts to prevent shallow breathing via the chest while keeping the chest stationary and encourages deep breathing through the stomach.

Either laying on your back or sitting up will work. One hand should be on your chest, and the other should be on your abdomen or stomach. Your hand will start to press on your tummy as you inhale through your nose and fill it with air.

How to Practice:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position on a flat surface.
• Sit up straight and pull your shoulders back to relax them.
• Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach.
• Breath in through your nose for about two seconds.
• Purse your lips, press gently on your stomach, and exhale.
• Repeat these steps several times for the best results.

2. 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

The 4-7-8 breath is also known as the relaxation breathing method, so it’ll work great for bedtime. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is based on pranayama breathing exercises. The 4-7-8 technique is a deep breathing exercise that emphasizes breathing control to encourage sleep. It incorporates rhythmic breathing.

It is widely recognized to lower tension and anxiety, improve focus, control appetites, and hasten your ability to fall asleep. If holding your breath while this exercise makes you uncomfortable, you can reduce the time while keeping the 4-7-8 ratio.

How to Practice:

• Find somewhere comfortable to sit. If you can, close your eyes.
• Breath in through your nose for a count of 4
• Hold the breath for a count of 7.
• Exhale through your mouth for a count of 8
• Repeat the cycle as many times as you would like.

3. Square Breathing or Box Breathing Exercise

Square breathing or the 4-4-4 breathing method are other names for box breathing. It is well-known in many relaxation techniques and is frequently applied in demanding professions including those of physicians, nurses, and firemen. It promotes calmness, concentration, and clarity of thought.

The exercise is simple and only takes a few minutes to complete. Inhale gently for 4 seconds via your nose after first letting all the air out of your lungs. Hold your breath for 4 seconds, then let it out slowly through your mouth. Continue doing this until you feel more at ease.

How to Practice:

• Inhale through the nose to a count of 4, lungs should be completely full of air.
• Hold the air in your lungs for a count of four.
• Exhale through the mouth to a count of four, all of the air should be out of the lungs.
• Hold the lungs in an empty state for a count of four.
• Repeat steps one through four for a total of at least 5 minutes. If ready, you can increase to a count of 8.

4. Alternate Nostril Breathing Exercise

By alternating between each nostril for the inhale and exhale, the body and mind are said to achieve a sense of balance and neutrality. You need to concentrate on your breathing patterns while you block one of your nostrils with a finger while inhaling through the other, then repeat the process with the other nose. Therefore, close your right nostril while inhaling through your left, and then close your left nose while exhaling through your right. To calm your body, alternate nostrils for three to five minutes.

How to Practice:

• Close right nostril with thumb. Breathe in left nostril – 4 count
• Close left nostril with the right finger. Close both nostrils briefly.
• Open right nostril and breath out – 6 count.
• Breath in right nostril – 4 count
• Close right nostril with thumb. Close both nostrils briefly
• Open left nostril. Breath out – 6 count

5. Breath Counting

Another method of relaxing that will prevent excessive mind wandering is this one. Take a few deep breaths while seated comfortably with your eyes closed, then begin to breathe normally. Count “one” as you exhale. the number “two” the next time. Continue doing this until you have exhaled five times and then restart the procedure. Never count past five; if you realise you’ve lost track, begin counting again at one. You won’t believe how much focus you will need to keep yourself on track.

How to Practice:

• To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale.
• The next time you exhale, count “two”, and so on up to “five”.
• Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation.
• Never count higher than five and count only when you exhale. Try to do the same for 10 minutes.