Top 5 breathing exercises for a better night’s sleep

So many of us have become accustomed to being stimulated and alert before it’s time to sleep. Whilst falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion may be standard practice, the quality of the sleep itself can be improved by simply preparing yourself appropriately for a night’s rest. Breathing exercises allow the body to relax and reduce stress hormones, which hinder the ability to fall or stay asleep.

Here are 5 breathing exercises that, when practiced, will promote better restorative sleep and help you feel more refreshed and energised in the morning.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique

Your diaphragm is located just below your lungs and is the muscle that allows you to breath. The respiratory process is pivotal when it comes to our ability to relax, as it is responsible for carrying oxygen around the body.

Diaphragmatic breathing, sometimes referred to as abdominal breathing, increases blood flow to the heart and triggers the natural relaxation response in the body.

Start by sitting or lying flat and rest your hand on your abdomen. The technique involves breathing into your belly area rather than higher up in your chest. It may be helpful to imagine a balloon being inflated and then released slowly out of the airways. Practicing this for a few minutes will typically take you right into falling asleep. It’s important to focus on the breathing and trying to reduce those wandering, possibly stressful thoughts.

2.  The 4-7-8 Technique

This technique shares similar foundations to other relaxation methods used in yoga. You can practice this one a couple of times a day or just before sleep. The basic technique begins with you breathing in through your nose for 4 seconds, calmly holding the breath for 7 seconds, followed by slowly exhaling through your mouth for 8 seconds.

Repeat this routine a few times until your breathing has slowed down and you are feeling relaxed and ready for sleep.

3.  The Military Method

While it may seem like overkill, trialling this technique has seen results in United States Navy pilots, who work on a strict routine that involves falling asleep in as short as two minutes.

The process begins by relaxing your face muscles. Try to relax your eyes, ears and tongue too. Rest your hands beside your body and release any tension in your shoulders and back. Begin exhaling and relax your chest, followed by your legs and feet. Clear your mind for 10 seconds and try to maintain the relaxed state throughout your body. Having a clear mind could prove to be the most challenging part for some, so picturing a static image may help with this. Maintaining deep breaths will allow you to relax physically and mentally.

4.  Counting Your Exhalations

As simply as it may seem, counting your exhalations from 1 up to 5, and then back down to 1 again, is an easy technique (relatively speaking). Focusing on the number allows for the breathing itself to regulate and calm the body. This technique requires minimal effort, making it a useful one in the case of waking in the middle of the night.

5.  Alternate Nostril Technique

Another great way to bring your mind into a state of relaxation is the alternate nostril technique. What might sound strange at first is in fact a commonly used yoga technique called Nadi Shodhan Pranayama. This method is one best practiced at the start of each day or just before sleep. The principle of this exercise is breathing on ‘both sides’ allows you to maximise the oxygen sent to both sides of the brain.

Alternating between inhaling through the right nostril followed by exhaling through the left nostril and vice versa will bring on a calm and relaxed energy. Taking a moment to hold the breath at the top of your head before slowly exhaling is recommended too.

The bottom line

Getting enough quality sleep is critical to your general health and wellbeing. Along with exercise and a healthy diet, try to incorporate and maintain good sleep habits to boost your health and wellbeing for the long-term.

If you’re experiencing persistent disruptions to your sleep, consult with a pharmacist or trusted medical professional to discuss possible solutions.

Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.