You can't fall asleep again? Then you've come to the right place with our breathing exercises for falling asleep! We show you 4 methods that will help you fall asleep quickly.
How long have you been tossing and turning in bed? Without being able to fall asleep?
In the morning you feel like a zombie, you're grumpy, you have dark circles under your eyes and you can hardly get out of bed. You're just really tired.
For hours you toss and turn. Thoughts of work, friends, everyday life and the like just don't let you rest.
You think to yourself "I really need to sleep now". But that only makes it worse. The breathing rate gets higher, the heart pumps like crazy and at the latest now falling asleep has become absolutely impossible.
Even during the day, there is no end to the stress. The adrenaline level rises. This causes the heart to pump faster, you breathe short and shallow, and you're electrified.
And in the evening you lie awake in bed again. Do you know what can help you fall asleep? Breathing exercises to fall asleep are the solution!
Table of contents
In India, people have been breathing correctly for many centuries. It may sound a little strange now, but we simply pay too little attention to our breath.
Yet it is so important for our relaxation. Keeping a breathing rhythm has very positive effects on the nervous system, it lowers blood pressure, pulse and thus relaxes us.
Why it's worth learning to fall asleep fast
By the way, you're not alone with sleep problems. More than 20 million Germans suffer from problems falling asleep or sleeping through the night.
Well-being is important to all of us: if we feel good, the whole body radiates this. A fresh mind in a fresh body is bursting with energy and vitality.
Our skin looks smooth, our complexion is healthy, our eyes shine, and we are full of energy and zest for life. A very elementary cornerstone for well-being is good sleep. The ideal length of sleep is between seven and eight hours.
But we don't always manage to fall asleep as well as we would like. Our world is full of activity and hustle and bustle, with stimuli and distractions lurking everywhere.
Our senses are almost bombarded by excess. While this is an opportunity for further development and self-realization, it can also rob us of sleep.
We simply do not manage to come to rest.
You really need that much sleep!
How breathing exercises work to help you fall asleep
Breathing exercises to fall asleep relax the mind and body. Through conscious, deep breathing, the body is supplied with sufficient oxygen. The deep exhalation frees the lungs from used air. The pulse lowers and provides relaxation.
The self, one's own body, comes into focus. Our attention is directed inward. Thoughts of work, relationships and everyday life disappear when we focus entirely on ourselves. Just listen to the breath and the heartbeat and simply block out the world around us.
How could this be done better than through the most elementary thing that man has at his disposal and that takes place always, every second: our breathing.
So if you sleep badly, you can start with Breathing exercises to fall asleep help. It is possible to simply breathe away insomnia.
For breathing exercises you don't need much time or equipment. Just your bed and your body. Done :) Perfect, isn't it?
Breathing exercises to fall asleep can take you to the land of dreams in no time. At first, it will take a little time to find the right technique.
The best breathing exercises for falling asleep - 1. The 4-7-8 breathing technique
This exercise is popular and effective against stress, nervousness, high blood pressure, panic attacks and sleep difficulties.
Whether you sit down, stand or lie down is not crucial for this exercise.
How the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Works
- Place your tongue loosely against the roof of your mouth, just behind your incisors.
- Breathe out completely and audibly through the mouth.
- Close your mouth and breathe in slowly through your nose. While doing so, count to four in your head.
- Hold your breath and count to seven in your head.
- Then exhale audibly through your mouth while counting to eight.
If you repeat this breathing exercise to fall asleep four times twice a day, something amazing will happen: Your body will learn to relax on command. After a few weeks, you can increase the number of repetitions up to eight.
Breathing exercises to help you fall asleep like this one are also great for stressful workdays. If everything at work gets too much for you, just close your eyes for a moment. And then breathe in and out consciously and deeply.
The very best tips against insomnia
The best breathing exercises to fall asleep - 2nd yoga breathing exercise (pranayama) to fall asleep.
In yoga, too, there are many methods that can serve as breathing exercises for falling asleep. Pranayama reduces stress and helps you relax. After that, you're sure to fall asleep successfully.
Lie on your back with your legs loosely hip-width apart and straight, letting your feet fall loosely to the side. Place the arms next to the body, palms up. Close your eyes and try to relax.
1. inhale slowly while counting to four.
2. exhale slowly again and count to four also while doing so
Repeat five times.
Breathe in slowly while counting to five.
5. exhale slowly again and count to five also while doing so
Repeat five times.
If you can't yet manage to count to four during a breath, start with three. Breathing exercises to fall asleep like these are not about putting yourself under pressure. If you're doing well, continue to six, repeating five times.
The best breathing exercises to fall asleep - 3. Conscious breathing with counting technique.
Count your breaths, with one number representing each inhale and exhale. Count to nine, then start again. Picture each number clearly in your mind's eye.
One possible variation is to count your breaths backwards from 23.
Why breathing exercises to fall asleep like this work? Simply because you focus on something else. You suddenly stop thinking about everyday life and focus on breathing, on the here and now.
If inner restlessness and a carousel of thoughts in your head are the cause of your insomnia, passionflower lozenges can help. They contain the active ingredients of passionflower in a highly concentrated form. I take one lozenge an hour before I go to bed on days when I feel restless inside. Within an hour, passionflower has a relaxing effect and calms the nerves.
It also helps me to turn off the head cinema and in doing so to see things that are really unimportant, but grow into a huge thing in my head, in a more relaxed way.
I have tried a few preparations, but I am stuck with Dr. Boehm Passionflower Coated Tablets* got stuck. Thanks to the coating, they are very easy to swallow and work best for me. Just give them a try. They are currently on offer at Shop Apotheke.
The best breathing exercises to fall asleep - 4. meditation
Just breathe and observe what happens: the air flows through your lungs into your body and out again. Observe how the breath comes and goes.
Be aware: the breath is what is always happening, every second, what connects us to the world, grounds us.
Become aware of thoughts that arise. Without judging them, return your attention to your breath.
You can also place your hands on your abdomen, feel your abdominal wall rise and fall, and count your breaths as you do so.
Listen to your body. Can you feel your chest rising and falling? How your pulse slows down? How the air leaves your nose? Concentrate on this and keep your eyes closed.
This is what happens to your body with too little sleep
What happens when we sleep too little?
If we lack the necessary tips to fall asleep, we logically do not sleep enough. The quality of sleep is poor and we will be tired, irritable and unfocused. We feel listless.
Poor sleep reduces attention span and reaction time. When we sleep very poorly, it affects the body as if we have a blood alcohol level of 1.0.
Newly learned information and thus our knowledge is stored in deep sleep. Poor sleep therefore also reduces memory and the ability to learn.
But in addition to the effects on our mental abilities, too little sleep also puts our physical health at risk:
Too little sleep can promote obesity. While we sleep, our body releases an appetite-lowering hormone (leptin). But the energy consumption is hardly lower than during the waking phase. So if sleep is interrupted, you will become hungry again during the night.
Continuous sleep deprivation can also promote diabetes, as the blood sugar level cannot be kept constant by an over-slept body.
In addition, the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases increases.
Why is good sleep so important?
During sleep, the cells of our body are renewed. 98 % of all cells renew in just one year.
The result of good sleep is balance and vitality. This also affects our skin, its moisture depots are refilled during sleep.
In addition, growth hormones are released during the deep sleep phase. They build muscles, cartilage and bones and help to break down fat.
A while before sleep, a gland in the brain produces the "sleep hormone" melatonin. Besides the effect that melatonin makes us tired, it also strengthens our memory and immune system.
These plants will help you fall asleep!
More tips for falling asleep
But there are other ways to improve the quality of your sleep. Often it's the little things, such as an unsuitable room temperature, that keep you from falling asleep.
If it's too hot, for example, the best breathing exercises won't help you fall asleep. How you finally come to rest, you can read here.
Exercise and a healthy diet promote sleep
When the body is at full capacity, it is easier to fall asleep.
In addition, sports increase the general well-being, not only the body but also the mind is strengthened. Sports, or at least regular walks in the fresh air, bring about a positive attitude, which in turn promotes good sleep.
A body that is nourished in a healthy way feels good and does not have to spend maximum effort on digestion. Make sure to eat little to no food up to four hours before bedtime, and if you do, eat mainly low-fat foods.
Do not drink alcohol in the evening and avoid caffeine.
A relaxed environment promotes falling asleep
If you want to learn to fall asleep quickly, a well-prepared environment is also important.
Make sure you feel like a million bucks. The right room temperature also helps you sleep. Ideally, it should be between 14 and 18 degrees. However, the perception of which temperature is most comfortable also varies from person to person. Just try out the temperature at which you can relax best.
Humidity should also not be too high. Fresh air guarantees sufficient oxygen. It is enough to air the room for about ten minutes half an hour before going to bed.
Avoid laptop, cell phone and co before going to sleep
Before bed, engage in activities that calm you down.
Laptop, smartphone, iPad and co. are not suitable for this for various reasons. For one thing, they emit blue light. Blue light signals the body to stay awake. This is because daylight contains a high proportion of blue.
When the sun sets, the color changes to red and we become tired. Blue light, on the other hand, prevents melatonin from being produced.
However, there is another reason to avoid entertainment electronics in the evening: It can stir us up, evoke a wide variety of thoughts and emotions that put our bodies on standby and thus prevent fatigue.
Our tip: Instead of a cell phone or the TV, just grab a book. Preferably in the old-fashioned printed form. Make yourself comfortable with a blanket and some tea. Chances are you won't need breathing exercises to fall asleep anymore.
Warm drinks relax body and mind
Warm drinks soothe the body. Different soothing herbal teas such as valerian or lemon balm can further enhance the effect.
A warm milk with honey is not only healthy and soothing, but for many of us it also evokes childhood memories of security and being cared for.
Herbal remedies for problems falling asleep
Essential oils help the body to come to rest. You can fill a small pillow with chamomile, lavender, anise or thyme and place it on your pillow.
Alternatively, take a warm bath in essential oils, suitable are especially valerian, lavender, lemon balm and hops.
Learn to fall asleep quickly: practice a positive attitude
And if it doesn't work out with falling asleep: A change in attitude can also work small miracles here.
It doesn't always have to be deep sleep, lying down quietly also recovers the body. There's nothing wrong with being a little more tired tomorrow, you're not immediately completely exhausted if you sleep less.
Try the attitude: falling asleep late doesn't mean sleeping "only" four hours, it means "still". :)
Our conclusion
Falling asleep quickly is no miracle. Improved "sleep hygiene" can help you.
This can include a sleep ritual consisting of a warm drink and the use of soothing herbs in the form of a bath or herbal pillow, airing before bedtime or from Breathing exercises to fall asleep.
But the most important thing, besides the external circumstances, is that we become more aware of ourselves again, feel our body and are not only in our head.
This allows us to stop brooding and restlessness and quickly find sleep. In any case, a healthy lifestyle with sufficient exercise, a healthy diet and breathing exercises to fall asleep can help. In this sense: Good night! :)
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