If you, like me, spend the majority of your busy work day looking forward to the moment you can slip back under the covers, then you know how deeply precious sleep can be. But if you, like me (unfortunately), find all the day’s worries stacking up into an overwhelming tower of sleep-preventing thoughts, you could probably benefit from spending time unwinding before bed. There are many ways to destress and relax, but something as easy as practicing breathing exercises for sleep is one powerful solution. 

Research shows that slow, deep breathing is not only among the oldest and simplest therapeutic techniques for calming the body and mind, but also one of the most effective strategies for enhancing sleep. But are simple inhales and exhales all that’s needed, or could certain breathing exercises be even more effective for helping you drift off? 

Read on for tips and tricks to using your breath for better rest.

How Breathing Exercises Can Help You Unwind Before Bed

Believe it or not, you breathe in and out about 20,000 times a day—but how many of those breaths are you actually aware of? While it wouldn’t be realistic (or particularly healthy!) to focus on each and every breath you take, tuning into the nuances of your inhales and exhales can be powerful, particularly before bed. Not only can certain breathwork techniques help lower stress and improve mental health, but they can also help prepare your brain and body for a restful night of sleep. 

“There are some types of breathwork that can ignite our energy by increasing heart rate and even body temperature,” explains Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts, a Peloton instructor. “And there are other types of breathwork that can slow down the heart rate, slow down the pace of our thoughts, and directly support the central nervous system.”

In addition to promoting relaxation while decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression, slow breathing techniques have been shown to activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of the body’s “rest and digest” response that helps us relax. One of the most impactful ways to tap into that response is to implement breathing strategies that emphasize a long, extended exhale. 

“Extended exhale breathing practices can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and therefore help calm the body and mind,” explains Guy Fincham, PhD, a breathwork researcher at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

There are a number of different types of breathing strategies that can activate the relaxation response, but the overarching theme is a focus on the breath itself.

“I like to simplify my breathing practices before bed by simply lying on my spine, placing my hands on my chest, and noticing the rise and fall of my chest,” Dr. Chelsea says. “The focus on the breath and the rise and fall help take my mind off of anything that is keeping me up. Eventually, I fall asleep. Of course, I listen to our sleep meditations as well!”

5 Breathing Exercises for Sleep

While there are a variety of ways to practice breathwork before bed, here are five expert-approved strategies to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel refreshed in the morning:

1. Box Breath (Sama Vritti Pranayama)

Also known as Sama Vritti Pranayama, four-part breath, or square breath, box breath involves taking an inhale, holding your breath at the top, exhaling, and holding your breath again at the bottom. 

“[I love] four-part healing breath because it is a great way to clear my mind and ground me,” Dr. Chelsea says. “I share this particular breath in our daily meditation classes.”

Here’s how to practice this technique:

You may just need one round of box breath to reap the relaxation benefits, or you can cycle through as many rounds as you like until you nod off.

2. Cooling Breath (Sitali Pranayama)

Cooling breath, also known as Sitali Pranayama, is Dr. Chelsea’s go-to breathing exercise for sleep. It’s a popular yoga breathing technique traditionally thought to cool you down, either in temperature or temperament (although more research on the topic is needed). 

To practice cooling breath, follow these steps:

3. Ocean Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’re probably familiar with ocean breath, also referred to as ujjayi breath or victorious breath, which is considered one of the most common forms of pranayama (i.e. breath control).

“Ujjayi breath is one of the first breathing practices I learned,” Dr. Chelsea says. This type of breathwork is “great for building confidence and also getting through physically challenging workouts,” she adds.

Here’s how to practice this type of breathwork:

4. Coherent Breathing  

Coherent breathing involves “equal inhale to exhale ratios that last about five and a half seconds each, with no purposeful pauses or holds,” Fincham says. “It can help increase heart rate variability (HRV), denoting greater parasympathetic activity and a more robust stress response.”

When you use this type of breathing exercise for sleep, Fincham says you can extend the inhale to exhale ratio gradually from 1:1 to 1:2 (meaning your exhales eventually become twice as long as your inhales). He adds that ujjayi breath is a great complement to this breathwork practice.

To practice coherent breathing, follow these steps: 

When to Practice Breathing Exercises for Sleep

When and how you choose to practice breathwork is up to you, but many people find it to be a great component of a comprehensive bedtime routine. 

For some, starting to wind down about an hour before hitting the sack is an ideal window for relaxing activities such as gentle movement, meditation, taking a warm bath, and, of course, practicing breathing exercises for sleep. For others, just 15 minutes is plenty for a pre-sleep regimen.

“I am an advocate of our practices never being ‘one-size-fits-all,’” Dr. Chelsea says. “With that being said, you can give at least 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep as a starting point.” If, after a few days of practice, you find half an hour feels too short, “make the adjustments and continue to listen to your body,” she says. 

More Tips for Practicing Breathing Exercises for Sleeping

Breathing is second nature, but weaving in these purposeful breathing exercises for sleep into your routine can take a little practice. Here are a few pro tips that’ll make it easier: 

The Takeaway

Breathwork can be a powerful tool to help calm your nervous system, reduce stress, and optimize your sleep—and you don’t need to be an expert to reap the benefits. By practicing a few simple breathing exercises for sleep, you may notice a positive difference in your ability to drift off to dreamland. 

And if you want more guidance, don’t forget to check out the breath-focused meditations available on the Peloton App. “I cannot stress enough the importance of our sleep meditations and daily meditations as a great place to start!” Dr. Chelsea says.