4 Breathwork Techniques That Promote Sleep

We breathe all day long (obviously), but most of the time we’re not paying attention to how we do it. Breathwork is different, it’s the practice of consciously change the depth and rhythm of your breathing to influence how your body feels.

This happens because your breath and your nervous system are closely linked. Faster, shallow breathing tends to raise your heart rate and keep you alert. Slower, deeper breathing does the opposite. It tells your body that it’s safe to rest.

Whilst it can lead to better sleep, for some it becomes a gentle form of meditation, something to return to when your mind feels crowded, and therefore it makes a perfect addition to any nightcare practice.

Here are four techniques you can try whilst enjoying your next can of Sleep Toniq.

Progressive box breathing

Box breathing uses four parts. Inhale, hold, exhale, hold again, and repeat.

To begin with, start with a count of four for each part. In for four. Hold for four. Out for four. Hold for four.

Then after a few rounds, if it feels comfortable, increase the count to five, then six, then seven, and so on.

The gradual slowing is what helps, there’s no need to rush or push. However, when you get a bit more experienced and enter a deeply relaxed state, you can keep increasing the number. I think I got to 17 last time.

I like box breathing because not only is it the best for beginners, it also gives you room to improve and test yourself.

4–7–8 breathing

This technique gives the mind something steady to focus on.

Breathe in through your nose for four. Hold the breath for seven. Exhale slowly through your mouth for eight.

The long exhale is the most important part, really focus on it and you can almost feel your body slowing down during it.

This one is nice because it’s a set rhythm, so there is less to think about.

Diaphragmatic breathing

This is sometimes called belly breathing.

Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. As you inhale through your nose, let your stomach rise while your chest stays relatively still. As you exhale, let the stomach fall.

You may feel as though you are taking air into parts of your lungs that feel relatively unused, almost as though you are giving them a gentle stretch. On top of helping with relaxation, it also makes you more aware of the depth of your breath throughout the day.

When you are stressed, you will begin to notice that your breath is shallow, only reaching the top of your lungs. Start belly breathing in these moments and you will find your heart rate slowing and tension being relieved.

Nadi Shodhana

This comes from yogic traditions and is often described as balancing.

Using your fingers, gently close one nostril and breathe in through the other. Then switch sides and breathe out. Continue alternating, moving slowly and evenly. See the diagram below to see how people traditionally position their hands to close each nostril.

It can feel slightly awkward at first, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend if you have a runny nose, but many people find it calming and centring, especially if the mind feels scattered. It also helps improve your overall nostril breathing ‘ability’, something that has numerous health and wellbeing benefits

That’s all for now

I hope these techniques improve your nighttime routines. There are literally hundreds of different breathwork protocols out there, many of which aren’t to do with relaxation at all. Those interested about learning more about the wider world of breathwork should check out James Nestor (author of Breath) and Wim Hof (founder of the Wim Hof method).