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Having trouble falling asleep has become one of the main concerns in our busy and fast-paced life. And even though people feel exhausted and stressed, they only end up staring at their screens or the ceiling for most of the night. According to a breathwork specialist and author of ‘How to Breathe’, Ashley Neese, this has something to do with breathing.
Besides, breathing is a vital force of life. And according to research, relaxation and breathing exercises for sleep is directly and inversely proportional to the stress response. And practising some breathing exercises helps to calm the mind and body for a person to fall asleep.
And it’s worth experimenting with the deep breathing exercises to see what does the trick. So, here are some of the breathing exercises for sleep and relaxation.
The 4-7-8 technique is known as “relaxing breath” and is one of the easiest exercises to fall asleep. Here’s how it is done:
This pattern of breathing reduces the heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar level. However, the 4-7-8 technique for breathing to fall asleep may not be the best option for people who find holding their breath uncomfortable. But, if a person wants to try to hold their breath, just count faster since the ratio of 4-7-8 is important.
Bhramari is a type of pranayama that focuses on slow breathing, which is better for a nighttime yoga routine. It is a simple and relatively easy practice of yoga breathing for sleep and can be practised by everyone irrespective of their age or gender. Following are the steps on how to practise Bhramari Pranayama for sleep.
According to the studies, Bhramari Pranayama lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety, and irritability. It is also effective for correcting hormonal imbalance conditions.
Three-part breathing is also known as Dirga Pranayama, where a person actively breathes into three parts of their abdomen. And here’s how it is performed.
Diaphragmatic breathing exercises before bed relaxes and relieves stress. It also strengthens the diaphragm and impacts positively on cognitive health. The following are the steps to exercise Diaphragmatic deep breathing for sleep.
Alternate nasal breathing is another yoga breathing for sleep, known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. It reduces stress and helps calm the mind for sleep. Following are the steps to practise alternate nasal breathing to help sleep.
Buteyko’s Breathing technique has gained considerable attention when it comes to breathing exercises to fall asleep. It is a breathing therapy that is often recommended to asthma patients since it helps reset the normal breathing pattern. Here are the steps to practise the Buteyko breathing exercises before bed.
The Papworth method is integrated breathing and relaxation training that improves respiratory symptoms, dysfunctional breathing, and adverse mood. It focuses on the diaphragm breathing naturally. To practise the Papworth method of breathing to fall asleep,
Kapalbhati pranayama is an advanced yogic breathing technique known as automatic inhalation. It helps purify blood and tone abdominal muscles, but if a person feels dizzy or light-headed, it is advised to discontinue the practising.
Box breathing is also known as “resetting of breath” or “four-square breathing.” This technique is easy and effective for people in stressful situations that can be done anywhere.
Relaxation exercises such as yoga, visualisation, progressive relaxation, or deep breathing to fall asleep helps bring a “relaxing response,” which is the opposite of a stress response. Unlike complex Cognitive behavioural therapy, a type of psychological treatment, relaxation exercises produce a similar result.
Breathwork for sleep is known to lower the heart rate and blood pressure; it slows down and deepens the breathing, promoting better sleep and sleep hygiene. And though there are countless ways to activate relaxation in the body, it is important to find an exercise that works best for oneself rather than looking for the most effective one.
Visualisation is one of the relaxation exercises that engage with the body’s natural relaxation response. This technique relies on the guided imagery of objects, scenes, or events associated with relaxation or calmness, which attempt to produce a similar feeling in the body.
The body scan is a meditation that surveys slow and focused attention to different body parts and acknowledges how each part feels. Following are steps to practise a relaxing body scan.
Autogenic training is a series of mental exercises that involves relaxation techniques and self-suggested ideas, which helps the mind focus on the body’s experience of relaxation. It has similar steps to the body scan that focuses on the individual body part, and here is how it goes:
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a two-step process of actively contracting different muscle groups to create tension and progressively releasing it. The practice of this exercise alleviates stress and has a positive impact on depression and anxiety.
Furthermore, before starting with the exercise, note all the 16 muscle groups (hands, wrists and forearms, biceps, shoulders, forehead, around the eyes and nose, cheeks and jaw, around the mouth, back of the neck, front of the neck, chest, back, stomach, hips and buttocks, thighs, and lower legs) that need to be contracted and relaxed. This will allow a person to move methodically without missing out on any of the muscle groups.
Self-hypnosis is similar to meditation which involves entering into a calm and relaxed state by practising PMR. In this programme, people produce a relaxation response by self-promoting a phrase or non-verbal cue (suggestions), like “I am relaxed and calm,” or just simply “relax.”
Besides knowing how to breathe when sleeping, other measures ensure a good night’s sleep. Here are the six essential tips to get better sleep.
While the above tips and breathing exercises for sleep might prove to be helpful; however, repetitive or consistent practice of the exercises is more effective than one-time or short-term practice. And though these exercises are safe for most people, others may benefit from consulting a doctor before practising any exercises.
4-7-8 is a breathing technique that allows one to fall asleep faster. It also reduces blood pressure, sugar levels and heart rate. The technique goes like this: Press the lips tight and inhale silently through the nose for a count of 4 seconds, hold your breath and count till 7 and finally, exhale through the mouth for a count of 8 seconds.
Lie down relaxed, loosen your body and clear your mind. Tell yourself not to think about anything for 10 seconds. You should fall asleep in 10 seconds or so.
Spend 4 seconds not breathing in or out. Exhale for four seconds slowly. Now repeat these steps at least three times, ideally for four minutes, or until calmness returns.
Sit comfortably and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, and take the breath in your stomach. Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Exhale through your mouth with a whooshing sound for 8 seconds.
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