Introduction
Breathing exercises for falling asleep are targeted breathing techniques that are used very consciously to initiate and support the process of falling asleep. The effect of breathing on our body is used as well as the conscious concentration on breathing, which prevents the so-called brooding, which prevents many people from falling asleep. Breathing exercises for falling asleep serve to relax the body and mind and should support the body in the transition to the sleeping phases.
Instructions
There are a variety of different breathing exercises that can help you fall asleep. Counting is often used to help with these exercises. It is important that you choose an exercise that you feel comfortable with and that you can do. It is important that as soon as you feel uncomfortable during the exercise, feel a tingling sensation in your mouth or hands, return to normal habitual breathing. These may be signs of hyperventilation, which can lead to severe symptoms in the long term.
Example of a sleep exercise
Here an example shall be given. It is helpful to recite the instructions inwardly like a mantra while doing the exercises in order to internalize the technique and the process and to fix your thoughts completely on the breathing exercises. “I lie comfortably and relaxed in a comfortable position.
I can keep my eyes open or close them as I feel comfortable. I feel how my body lies on the surface. I can feel my breath flowing slowly in through my nose, the abdominal wall rising (I can also put my hands on my chest to feel the breathing movements), and the breath then flowing out through the loosely opened mouth.
I concentrate on my breathing for 3 breaths. Now on the next inhalation I count to 4, hold the breath, count to 4, and let the breath flow out through the mouth while I count to 4. I repeat the exercise for 4 breaths.
Now I count to 5 while inhaling through the nose, hold the breath relaxed after the slow inhalation, count to 5 and let the air flow out slowly through the loosely opened mouth while I count to 5. I repeat the exercise for 4 breaths. I can repeat the exercise, and during the breaths count to 6, if the pause is too long for me, I can end it at 4 or 5, and then let the air flow out slowly while counting to 6. I feel a pleasant heaviness, my thoughts are concentrated on my breathing, I feel my body and my heartbeat relax. “
Who benefits from these breathing exercises?
Basically, it is primarily people who have problems falling asleep who deal with the topic of sleep aids. People who find it difficult to control their emerging thoughts can benefit from sleep breathing exercises, as well as people who may have difficulty relaxing, may have high blood pressure, hear their pulse in their ear, and roll around restlessly. By directing the consciousness to the breathing, other physical perceptions can be pushed into the background and possibly positively influenced. People who have a changed day-after-rhythm can bring their body into a relaxed position more quickly through targeted breathing exercises, and fall asleep more easily, despite varying sleeping habits. Breathing techniques can be helpful in the case of anxiety disorders or other psychologically caused problems in falling asleep, but they alone may not be sufficient.
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