Deep Breathing
A super-simple deep breathing technique which activates the "rest and digest" part of the nervous system.
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Tonight's wind down is a breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first, get comfortable in your bed. And now just bringing the attention to the breath, just noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm, you're nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin, in for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. And for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great, now returning the breath to normal....
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A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
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Frequently asked questions
We recommend doing deep breathing exercises for anywhere between 5-15 minutes, once or twice a day. The whole point of deep breathing is to restore a sense of calm to mind and body, and it’s particularly helpful as part of your sleep routine. Taking some slow, deep breaths before bed is a great way to let go of the day’s stress, unwind, and feel more grounded. Always make sure you are sitting comfortably to start, and are not short of breath in any way. It’s important not to overdo this exercise because rapid, excessive breathing for a prolonged period can sometimes leave you feeling light-headed.
Headspace has a few deep breathing exercises in-app to help with everyday anxiety. The Deep Breathing wind down is a simple 2-3 minute technique intended to activate the “rest and digest” part of the nervous system. Essentially, you bring your attention to the breath, noticing the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and breathe out for six seconds, and repeat.
It’s understandable if the stress of the day spills into the night as you are trying to get to sleep. The body is at rest but a busy mind simply won’t turn off. Or it might wake you up in the small hours. That’s when deep breathing exercises can come in handy, to help you drift off. Our 2-3 minute Deep Breathing wind down is a super-simple technique designed to activate the “rest and digest” part of the nervous system, to be used SOS-style to calm down when first in bed or when waking from a nightmare or anxiety. Deep breathing exercises are helpful for sleep because slow inhales through the nose followed by long exhales through the mouth signal to the brain that you’re safe and it’s okay to calm down. Slowing down your breathing slows down your thoughts which, in turn, relaxes the body, improving your chances of a good night’s rest.
It’s always a personal choice depending on circumstance but as long as a deep breathing exercise isn’t any longer than 5-15 minutes, you can practice it as and when the need arises, though it is important not to overdo the exercise because rapid, excessive breathing for a prolonged period can sometimes leave you feeling light-headed.
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