Deep, slow, and mindful breathing is a powerful way to clear your body of stress and tension as part of a nightly transition to sleep.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
The easiest way to practice deep breathing is through diaphragmatic breathing.
To put it into practice, simply follow these instructions:
- Place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly
- Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air flow toward your belly. The hand on your chest remains almost still and only the hand on your belly will rise.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth, emptying your belly. The hand on it will return to its original position.
- Repeat the breathing starting from step 2
4/7/8 Exercise
A more advanced way to practice deep breathing is with the 4/7/8 exercise, which is a breathing technique where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds.
To put it into practice, simply follow these instructions:
- Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit and relax.
- Sit comfortably on a cushion or chair with your shoulders relaxed and your hands gently crossed over your belly.
- If possible, breathe in and out through your nose. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. If you find it difficult to exhale for that long, start with 3/5/6 seconds and gradually increase, but only continue as far as is comfortable for you. The most important thing here is to exhale longer than you inhale.
- When you breathe, try to do so through your belly (diaphragm) and not through your chest. If you are doing this correctly, your shoulders will remain still and your belly will get bigger and smaller as you breathe.
- After keeping your shoulders still and relaxed without effort, it's a good idea to close your eyes and try to visualize the numbers in your mind to help you focus completely on your breathing.
Try taking a few breaths using the tool below to see how it works:
Notes
- Practice the previous steps for 5 to 10 minutes per day to reap the benefits of this technique. You can start with 5 minutes and add 1 minute per day as you become more comfortable.
- Use a gentle alarm to signal the end of the exercise.
- Practice this exercise before going to bed and preferably outside your bedroom! (remember Stimulus Control)
How does this exercise help you sleep?
By breathing deeply and holding your breath, you increase your body's oxygen level, allowing it to work a little less.
A long, slow exhale has an inherently relaxing meditative quality. The slow exhale is also very similar to the breathing rhythm your body adopts when you fall asleep.
Breathing deeply before bed makes you mimic the breathing patterns of sleep onset and guides your body and mind toward rest.
