{"id":8080,"date":"2024-03-21T20:00:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T02:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/howtobefit.com\/coach-blog\/?p=8080"},"modified":"2024-03-21T20:00:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-22T02:00:31","slug":"breathing-techniques-to-help-you-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/howtobefit.com\/coach-blog\/2024\/03\/21\/breathing-techniques-to-help-you-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Breathing Techniques to Help You Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"

These seven breathing techniques to help you sleep harness the power of your breath and may help you get a good night\u2019s rest. You may not need pills, drinks, or\u00a0weighted blankets<\/a> to help you fall asleep faster. You may not even need to spend a cent. To find out what they are, read this article from Brittany Risher Englert<\/a> in the BODi Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Breathing<\/p>\n

7 Breathing Techniques to Help You Sleep Like a Baby<\/h2>\n

Research shows that deep, slow breathing\u00a0activates the parasympathetic nervous system<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the \u201crest and digest\u201d part of the nervous system \u2014 and reduces activity of the \u201cfight or flight\u201d sympathetic nervous system. This has several sleep benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we regulate our breath, we turn our attention to our breath and bodies, which helps us release outside distractions and find a calmer state,\u201d says yoga instructor\u00a0Jamie King<\/a>, E-RYT 500. It also helps\u00a0reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0increase levels of melatonin<\/a>, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle.<\/p>\n

Ready to give it a shot? King recommends trying these breathing techniques for sleep as part of your bedtime routine.<\/p>\n

1. 4-7-8 Technique<\/h2>\n

\"Group<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your exhale is longer than your inhale, you help reduce the activation of your stress state and encourage your body to move into a thrive state,\u201d King says. Here\u2019s how to do the 4-7-8 breathing technique:<\/p>\n