Breathing Exercises for Sleep that Actually Works

As we try to navigate the challenges in our lives, we will inevitably encounter varying degrees of stress. This stress could turn into anxiety very well, and many of us are all too familiar with the frustrating onset of not getting a good night's sleep. Insomnia affects many people, and not being able to sleep well affects your body in a big way and can ruin the rest of your day. Besides turning to medication, you should certainly look into a more natural solution, and one that has been becoming more and more popular is breathing exercises. If this is new to you and you'd like to know more, read on for several breathing exercises that you can try out to help you sleep better at night. 

Diaphragm

The diaphragm or abdominal breathing method helps you focus on taking deeper breaths and taking control of the breathing pattern to calm you. Lie down on your back and relax your body, and place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. This will help you get better control of your breaths and ensure that you're breathing incorrectly. You'll want to focus on breathing into your core, and you'll be able to tell as your hand rises when you live in. Release the breath slowly, and soon you'll get into a pattern of shallow but stable breaths. Soon, you won't need to focus anymore, and you'll be able to fall into a comfortable sleep calmly.  

4-7-8

This breathing technique is generally used to combat anxiety and panic attacks, and it does a great job in helping you fall asleep. It was created to help with sleep. The 478 breathing method has been tried and tested by plenty of people, and it's gotten nothing but positive reviews. All you need to do is relax your tongue in your mouth to release the tension in your jaw, and then begin to focus on your breathing pattern. Take in a deep breath and count to 4 as you do so, hold it for 7 seconds, and release in a controlled manner in 8 seconds. If you repeat this for as long as you need, you'll be amazing at how soothing it can be for your mind and your body. First of all, the fact that you're counting for the breaths keeps your mind from thinking about anything else and thus eliminating anxiety, and the breathing technique itself gives you control over your body and calms it down. 

Alternate Nasal Breathing

Many of us think that we're living better by breathing through the mouth, but this is not true. It can create more anxiety as it is messy, and you're taking breaths that are much too deep and, in turn, quite unnatural. The alternate nasal breathing method is a great way to adapt to breathing through your nose, and it's been used for hundreds of years to regulate breathing. All you need to do is block one nostril, breathe in, then release your finger and stop the other nostril from breathing out. This, of course, is not a good idea if you have a stuffy nose because you will only become more aggravated. 

Body Focus

If you cannot sleep comfortably because of specific aches and pains, or general tension in your body, this breathing exercise is a good one to try out. Lie down on your back and start to breathe using whichever method you're most comfortable with. Then focus your thoughts on scanning your body from top to bottom with each inhales and exhale. As you come to the part of your body that you feel has the most tension or hurts the most, try to spend longer breathing through this part and then carry one. Do this as many times as you need, and you'll find your body relaxing after you've done it a couple of times, helping you to fall asleep.  

You must understand that breathing plays a huge role in the quality of your sleep. And throughout most of the day, we're not aware of our breathing patterns. Try out the different exercises mentioned here, and you'll find that by focusing on your breath and visualizing it moving throughout your body, counting through it, and by feeling it through your hands, your body will visibly relax, and so will your mind. Meditation goes a long way in releasing your mind from the stress that keeps it hostage, and breathing is the key to a more restful sleep.