When was the last time you paid attention to your breathing? Amid the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it’s probably not something you think about often.

But taking a moment to notice and control how you’re breathing isn’t just a great way to practise mindfulness – it can also offer a wide range of benefits for your wellbeing.

Why? It’s mostly to do with the way breathwork engages our parasympathetic nervous system – the side of our nervous system responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ state, as opposed to the ‘fight or flight’ response triggered by our sympathetic side. 

In this way, through a combination of different techniques, breathwork can help us to slow down our body’s stress response and feel more in control. And it’s this ability to help us switch off and relax that makes it such a powerful tool for improving sleep, too.

“The beauty of the breath is that we can help to reduce some of the physical ramifications that stress can cause and downregulate our nervous system to help us sleep when we have had a very stimulating day,” explains Fini Cooper, a breathwork therapist and founder of The Breath Way.

“This is good because our busy and often stressful modern lives can hinder the quality of sleep that we have because we have more stimulation and external stressors than we have evolved to experience, so our nervous system is often put under strain.”

If one thing’s for sure, practising breathwork is a great place to start if you find it hard to switch off before bed. So, to mark World Sleep Day 2023, we asked Cooper to share four simple breathwork techniques to help you relax at night.  

Please note: while one session of breathwork may help you feel more relaxed, Cooper says using these breathwork techniques on a daily basis will help to “retrain” your nervous system for better sleep in the long run.  

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

“Slow, deep breathing has been shown to produce melatonin, which not only promotes relaxation but is also an essential hormone for sleep,” says Cooper. “It also promotes parasympathetic tone and inhibits sympathetic tone.”

1. While lying down, place one hand on your upper chest and the other hand in the middle of your lower ribs (your hands will help to make sure that you’re using the primary breathing muscle, your diaphragm, during this exercise)
2. Breathe in through the nose so your belly pushes against your hand. Your other hand and your chest should remain as still as possible
3. Exhale gently through pursed lips
4. Gradually slow down your inhale and exhale until you reach a comfortable rhythm
5. Keep your awareness on your body
6. Repeat for as long as feels good

2. The 4-7-8 breath

“This has been called a tranquilliser to your nervous system and can help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system – the rest-and-digest branch,” Cooper explains. “This helps reduce stress and activation and puts the body into a state more conducive to sleeping. 

“The inhale is associated with the sympathetic branch of the nervous system, and the exhale with the parasympathetic. So having an exhale that is double the length of your inhale will help to move you further towards relaxation.”

1. Lie down in bed
2. Inhale through the nose for a count of four
3. Hold the breath for a count of seven
4. Exhale slowly through the mouth with a sshh-sound for a count of eight
5. Repeat for at least five minutes

3. Alternate nostril breathing

“A 2018 study found that those who practised this technique for 30 minutes daily had lower perceived levels of stress,” Cooper says. “Higher stress greatly contributes to less sleep so this is a great technique to aid sleep. 

“This exercise involves pinching one nostril at a time to help you control the pace and pattern of breathing. You can practise this cleansing and balancing technique to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, remove toxins and aid sleep. It also improves focus, increases awareness and enhances lung capacity.”

1. Closing your right nostril with your right thumb, slowly breathe in through your left nostril
2. Close your left nostril with your index finger
3. Release your right nostril and exhale through your right nostril for
4. Breathe in slowly through your right nostril
5. Close your right nostril with your thumb
6. Release your left nostril and exhale through your left nostril
7. Repeat for as long as you wish

4. Ladder breathing

Images: Getty