5 Breathing Exercises That Guarantee a Better Night’s Sleep

If you find it hard to fall asleep, you’re not alone. breathing exercises

According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), insomnia is the most typical sleep disorder. About 30 percent of American adults report short-term issues, and 10 percent experience chronic trouble falling or staying asleep.

Our dynamic and fast-paced culture, filled with homework, long work days, economic strains, parenthood burnout, or other emotionally exhausting conditions, can make it hard to relax, calm down, and get relaxing sleep.

Although there are several breathing exercises you can try to relax and fall asleep, a few fundamental principles apply to them.

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It’s always a good idea to close your eyes, allowing you to shut out distractions. Concentrate on your breathing and think about the healing energy of your breath.

Each of these different practices has slightly different uses. Try them and see which one is the best match for you.

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4-7-8 Breathing Technique

Here’s how to practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique:

1. Permit your lips to part gently.
2. Exhale fully, making a breathy whoosh sound as you do.
3. Squeeze your lips together as you silently inhale through the nose for a count of 4 seconds.
4. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
5. Exhale again for a full 8 seconds, making a whooshing sound throughout.
6. Repeat 4 times when you first begin. Eventually, work up to 8 repeats.

Dr. Andrew Weil created this method as a variation of pranayama, an ancient yogic technique that helps people relax as it reloads oxygen in the body.

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Bhramari Pranayama Breathing Exercise

These measures will help you perform the authentic Bhramari pranayama breathing exercise:

1. Close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out.
2. Shield your ears with your hands.
3. Place your index fingers above your eyebrows and the rest of your fingers over your eyes.
4. Subsequent, put gentle tension on the sides of your nose and concentrate on your brow area.
5. Keep your mouth closed and breathe out slowly through your nose, making the humming “Om” sound.
6. Repeat the process five times.

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In clinical studies, Bhramari pranayama has been shown to reduce breathing and heart rate quickly. This tends to be very relaxing and can ready your body for sleep.

Three-Part Breathing Exercise

To practice the three-part breathing exercise, follow these three stages:

1. Take a lengthy, deep inhale.
2. Exhale completely while concentrating intently on your body and how it feels.
3. After doing this a few times, slow down your exhale to be twice as long as your inhale.

Some individuals prefer this method over others because of its mere simplicity.

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Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

To do diaphragmatic breathing exercises:

1. Lie on your back and either bend your knees over a pillow or sit in a seat.
2. Put one hand flat against your chest and the other on your stomach.
3. Take slow, deep breaths through your nose, keeping the hand on your chest still as the hand on your stomach rises and falls with your breaths.
4. Following, breathe slowly through pursed lips.
5. Ultimately, you want to breathe in and out without your chest moving.

This process slows your breathing and decreases your oxygen needs as it supports your diaphragm.

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Alternate Nasal Breathing Exercise

Here are the steps for the alternate nasal or alternate nostril breathing exercise, also called nadi shodhana pranayama:

1. Sit with your legs crossed.
2. Set your left hand on your knee and your right thumb against your nose.
3. Exhale fully and then close the right nostril.
4. Inhale through your left nostril.
5. Open your right nostril and exhale through it while closing the left.
6. Continue this rotation for 5 minutes, finishing by exhaling through your left nostril.

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Conclusion

No matter which type of breathing exercise you choose, the evidence is clear that breathing exercises can help you:

• Relax
• Sleep
• Breathe more intrinsically and effectively

You may find yourself fast asleep before you know it, with many varieties to choose from.