Falling asleep can be difficult - getting your body and mind to relax after a long day is challenging but doing a few breathing exercises can help you relax. Being relaxed and calm before bed can help increase the quality of your sleep, which also means you can sleep longer and receive the physical and mental health benefits of quality sleep. In this blog, we will share some breathing exercises that could help you relax and fall asleep faster.
4-7-8 Breathing
Step 1: Find a comfortable place to lay down
Step 2: Exhale through your mouth completely and make a whooshing sound
Step 3: Inhale through your nose and count to 4
Step 4: Hold your breath for 7 seconds
Step 5: Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds
Step 6: You have now completed one cycle, repeat as many times as needed
Meditation by Repeating a Mantra
Step 1: Lay down comfortably
Step 2: Breathe in deeply and say a phrase like “inhale” or “inhale relaxation”
Step 3: Breathe out and say a phrase like “exhale” or “exhale tension”
Step 4: Remember to take deep breaths from your abdomen while doing this and pause before inhaling and exhaling
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Step 1: Lay down comfortably and put pillows under your knees
Step 2: Put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest
Step 3: As you take deep breaths, notice your chest and stomach rise and fall
Step 4: Breathe slowly for 4-5 minutes
Step 5: The goal of this technique is to get your stomach to just move and not your chest, you can do this by slowing down your breathing
Using any of these three techniques along with doing simple breathing exercises like deep breathing or counting while breathing can lower the risk of health problems like high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. The quality of sleep that you get each night affects your physical and mental health. Slow down, relax, and try these breathing techniques to improve the quality of your sleep!