When you really need to get some shut-eye, do you ever find yourself tossing and turning in bed? We’re all susceptible to bouts of insomnia and other asleep problems. Fortunately, there are efficient solutions to this problem that will help you get the sleep you need. In this post, we’ll go through eight simple techniques to help you relax before bed and get a better night’s rest.
There are many different breathing exercises you can attempt to help you unwind and nod off, but they all share a few essential components.
Closing your eyes might be a useful technique for reducing mental clutter. Think about the restorative power of your breath while you focus on your breathing.
There are a variety of advantages to each of these eight exercises. See which one works best for you by giving them a try.
1. Papworth’s approach
The Papworth approach incorporates many breathing methods.
- To breathe more easily, you train your attention on your diaphragm.
- If you want to use this to sleep, sit up straight, maybe even in bed.
- If you’re having trouble relaxing, try counting to four while you inhale through your mouth or nose and exhale through your nose.
- Pay attention to the movement of your stomach up and down as you breathe.
- This stress-relieving technique can help you break your yawning and sighing habits for good.
2. Breathing in a box
When practicing box breathing, it’s important to pay close attention to the air you take in and exhale.
- Just sit up straight, take a deep breath in, and then exhale as hard as you can to get every last bit of air out of your lungs.
- Take a deep breath through your nose and mentally count to four, allowing more air to enter your lungs on each count.
- Don’t breathe out until you’ve mentally counted to four.
- Focus on releasing the air from your lungs slowly through your mouth.
When meditating, many people use the box breathing technique. The practice of meditation has been linked to numerous health advantages, including an increased ability to concentrate and a decrease in stress levels.
3. Practice alternating nostril breathing
Nadi Shodhana pranayama, or alternating nostril breathing exercise, entails the following maneuvers:
- Cross your legs and take a seat.
- Put your right thumb against your nose while resting your left hand on your knee.
- Completely seal your right nostril as you exhale.
- Use your left nostril for breathing in.
- To do a right-side exhale, open your right nostril and close your left one.
- Do this for 5 minutes straight, concluding with an exhalation via the left nostrils.
Nasal breathing exercises have been shown to reduce stress levels, according to a study conducted in 2013.
4. Exhaling like a Buteyko
You can control your breathing with a technique called Buteyko breathing, named after the doctor who developed it.
- For around 30 seconds, sit quietly in bed with your mouth closed softly (not pursed) and breathe normally through your nostrils.
- Take a few deeper, more deliberate breaths through your nose.
- Keep your lips shut and your nose pinched shut with your thumb and forefinger until you feel the desire to breathe normally again.
- Keep your mouth closed as you repeat an in-and-out nasal breath.
Hyperventilation is common, yet few people are aware they are doing it. You can get back to a normal breathing pattern by using this exercise.
5. Breathing techniques in three stages
Here are the three stages of the breathing exercise:
- Inhale deeply and slowly.
- Let out a deep breath and concentrate on the sensations in your body while you do so.
- After a few repetitions, you should be able to delay your exhale to last twice as long as you inhale.
Because of its ease of use, some people favor this method over others.
6. Training your diaphragm
In order to train your diaphragm, you must:
- You can sit on a chair or lie on your back with your knees bent over a pillow.
- Hold your chest with one hand and your stomach with the other.
- Breathe in and out slowly and deeply through your nose, letting your hand on your tummy rise and fall as you do so.
- Next, close your lips and take deep, calm breaths.
You should be able to take deep breaths without your chest expanding or contracting.
This kind of breathing helps to strengthen the diaphragm, which in turn reduces oxygen consumption.
7. Using the 4-7-8 breathing method
The 4-7-8 breathing method is described below.
- Relax your lips and slightly separate them.
- Make a whooshing sound as you let out a deep breath.
- For a count of four, keep your lips pressed together and take a deep, silent breath through your nose.
- For the next seven seconds, try not to breathe.
- Make a whooshing noise when you exhale for a full 8 seconds.
- At the outset, you should do this four times. Eventually, you should be able to do 8 reps.
8. The breathing technique is known as Bhramari pranayama
Here’s how to do authentic Bhramari Pranayama breathwork:
- Put your attention solely on your breathing for a while as you close your eyes.
- Place your hands over your ears.
- Hold your fingers over your eyes, index fingers up above your eyebrows.
- Then, concentrate on the space between your brows and apply light pressure to the sides of your nose.
- To make the “Om” sound, keep your mouth closed and exhale slowly through your nose.
- Five times over, same as before.
Bhramari pranayama has been shown in a 2017 assessment of the literature to have the potential to immediately calm the breath and the heart. This can help you wind down for the night and relax your body and mind.
Incorporating these eight easy steps into your daily routine can significantly improve your sleep quality. Remember, a good night’s sleep is essential for your physical and mental well-being, so prioritize it in your life.