Breathing Exercises for Sleep: Five Calm Bedtime Routines

Lying awake while your thoughts run laps is frustrating. Slow, steady breathing will not switch your brain off like a light, but it gives your attention somewhere calm to rest — and for many people that is enough to let sleep arrive. Here are five routines to experiment with. Try one for a week before deciding whether it suits you.

The long out-breath

Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of four, then let the breath out slowly for a count of six or seven. Keep the counts comfortable; the aim is a relaxed rhythm, not a test of lung capacity.

Belly breathing in bed

Lie on your back with one hand on your stomach and feel it rise and fall. If you are new to this, our beginner’s guide to diaphragmatic breathing walks through the basics.

Counting down

Count each out-breath backwards from fifty. If you lose your place — and you will — simply start again from fifty. Losing count is often a sign that you are drifting off.

Breath and body scan

With each slow out-breath, let one part of your body soften: forehead, jaw, shoulders, hands, stomach, legs, feet. Move on to the next area with the next breath.

The pause

Breathe in, breathe out, and then rest for a moment before the next in-breath. Noticing that small natural pause can feel surprisingly settling.

Make it part of a wind-down

• Dim the lights and put screens away a little while before bed.
• Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet if you can.
• Find a sleeping position that feels supported — see our article on the best posture for sleeping.
• Do the same short routine each night so your body learns the cue.

When to seek advice

Occasional poor nights are normal. If sleep problems last for weeks, affect your daytime life, or come with loud snoring or pauses in breathing that someone else notices, talk to your GP or pharmacist.