Feeling Tired? Try These Mindful Breathing Exercises for Sleep

In this fast-paced world, incorporating breathing exercises for sleep in your routine has become extremely crucial. Proper amount and quality of sleep are essential for feeling well and maintaining good health, yet many individuals have trouble getting the rest they require.

More than one-third of Americans say they get less than seven hours of sleep per night, and almost half say they have difficulties falling or staying asleep. It might be challenging to relax, unwind, and get adequate sleep in our hectic and fast-paced environment.

The good news is that you can relax and sleep more soundly throughout the night by using specific breathing methods.

Getting Ready for Breathing Exercises for Sleep

While good sleep hygiene is essential for putting oneself to sleep, controlling breath through breathing exercises is another quick and efficient technique to let go of the day and release stress so we can rest.

We can tell our bodies and minds that we are safe and that it is normal to calm down by intentionally inhaling slowly through the nose and exhaling deeply through the mouth.

For improved sleep, you must try breathing exercises for sleep. (Image via Pexels/ Johnmark Smith)

Similar to other deep breathing exercises you may have practiced, breathing exercises for sleep are simple to do. To feel relaxed, you have to consciously manage your breathing by inhaling slowly and deeply and exhaling slowly and fully.

How to Perform Breathing Techniques for Sleep?

To establish a regular habit, you must first prepare your surroundings and yourself in case you nod off during the breathing exercise. Once everything is ready and you are in bed, you should rest flat on your backs with your necks as straight as they can be to make breathing easier.

Even though it's ideal to lie flat without a pillow for this type of sleep training, comfort comes first. Thus, you can employ whichever assistance makes you feel good.

Here are some amazing breathing exercises for sleep:

1) 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

This is one of the simplest breathing exercises for sleep.

This method can help you feel calmer and less anxious, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep. It is very useful for falling asleep quickly, especially if you're trying to get the most rest possible in the small amount of time available. The finest aspect is that you can practice it anywhere, and it isn't situation-dependent.

With breathing exercises of sleep, you will get up fresh in the morning, (Image via Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio)

Here’s how to perform it:

Open your mouth a little bit.
Completely let out your air, generating a whooshing noise as you do so.
During a count of four seconds, silently inhale through your nose while squeezing your lips together.
Take a deep breath and hold it for seven seconds.
Repeat your previous exhalation for a full eight seconds while whooshing.
When you first begin, repeat four times. Work your way up to eight repetitions eventually.

2) Diaphragmatic Breathing

Despite the fact that everyone has been breathing since birth, over 80% of individuals really breathe wrong.

When we breathe, we frequently ignore the belly and instead concentrate on the rise and fall of our chests. This causes short, ineffective breaths that make it difficult to unwind and enjoy a good night's sleep.

Here’s how to perform diaphragmatic breathing:

Lay on your back on a level surface with your knees bent or sit in a chair with a straight back. If lying on your back, put a pillow between your knees and head for further comfort.
Put one hand on your stomach, just below the ribs, and the other flat against your chest.
For around four seconds, inhale deeply through your nostrils. While the hand on your abdomen should rise with each breath, the one on your chest should remain motionless.
Hold your breath for two seconds while contracting your abdominal muscles.
Exhale slowly for around six seconds with pursed lips. You should put your hand back on your stomach where it was.

3) Extended Exhale

This exercise will further slow your breathing, lower your heart rate, and help you relax in preparation for sleep.

Perform breathing exercises for sleep daily for better results. (Image via Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio)

Here’s how to do it:

Put one hand on your stomach.
Inhale and exhale.
See how your abdomen naturally rises and falls as you inhale.
In a little while, start lengthening your exhalation such that it is one to two counts longer than your inhalation.
Continue until you feel sleepy.

There are numerous immediate and long-term advantages to breathing exercises for sleep. You will be able to enhance and maximize the quality of your sleep as you continue to use them.