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Shallow breathing at night can interfere with your ability to fall and stay asleep. It can contribute to snoring or may even be a sign of a condition known as sleep apnea, which causes people to repeatedly stop breathing or take very shallow breaths at night.
Breathing exercises can help induce a relaxation response, which can make it easier to fall and stay asleep. Diaphragmatic breathing, belly breathing, deep breathing, and abdominal breathing are a few examples.
Research has found that slow breathing techniques have a variety of beneficial effects on the mind and body, including improved sleep quality and duration.
The following seven breathing exercises can all be done easily on your own to help encourage your body and mind to relax and make sleep easier.
1Abdominal BreathingGetty / Westend61Abdominal breathing refers to deep breathing into the abdomen rather than shallow breathing in the chest. The following steps will make sure that you are breathing from your diaphragm.Lie down with your legs straight and slightly apart. Point your toes outward, put your arms at your side gently, make sure your palms are facing up, and close your eyes.Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.Notice which hand rises the most as you inhale.If the hand on your chest rises the most as you inhale, focus on filling your stomach (bottom of your lungs) full of air before you reach the top. The easy way to do this is to try and force your abdomen to rise as you breathe. Over time, this gets easier.As you breathe, be sure to inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Keep your face relaxed as you do this. Breathe in and out while counting to make sure that you are breathing slowly. Relax and focus on the sound of your breath.Continue breathing like this for a period of time such as 5 or 10 minutes. Practice this type of breathing regularly, such as once a day.Once you’ve become better at engaging in deep abdominal breathing, practice it when you find yourself becoming anxious or tense.This type of breathing is useful in that it helps to slow down the various functions in your body that can keep you tense and anxious.Allowing yourself to deep breathe will slow your heart rate and make it easier to drift off to sleep. Over time, this strategy can help you combat shallow breathing and night and improve sleep.
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Abdominal BreathingGetty / Westend61Abdominal breathing refers to deep breathing into the abdomen rather than shallow breathing in the chest. The following steps will make sure that you are breathing from your diaphragm.Lie down with your legs straight and slightly apart. Point your toes outward, put your arms at your side gently, make sure your palms are facing up, and close your eyes.Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.Notice which hand rises the most as you inhale.If the hand on your chest rises the most as you inhale, focus on filling your stomach (bottom of your lungs) full of air before you reach the top. The easy way to do this is to try and force your abdomen to rise as you breathe. Over time, this gets easier.As you breathe, be sure to inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Keep your face relaxed as you do this. Breathe in and out while counting to make sure that you are breathing slowly. Relax and focus on the sound of your breath.Continue breathing like this for a period of time such as 5 or 10 minutes. Practice this type of breathing regularly, such as once a day.Once you’ve become better at engaging in deep abdominal breathing, practice it when you find yourself becoming anxious or tense.This type of breathing is useful in that it helps to slow down the various functions in your body that can keep you tense and anxious.Allowing yourself to deep breathe will slow your heart rate and make it easier to drift off to sleep. Over time, this strategy can help you combat shallow breathing and night and improve sleep.
Abdominal Breathing
Getty / Westend61
Abdominal breathing refers to deep breathing into the abdomen rather than shallow breathing in the chest. The following steps will make sure that you are breathing from your diaphragm.
As you breathe, be sure to inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Keep your face relaxed as you do this. Breathe in and out while counting to make sure that you are breathing slowly. Relax and focus on the sound of your breath.
Continue breathing like this for a period of time such as 5 or 10 minutes. Practice this type of breathing regularly, such as once a day.
Once you’ve become better at engaging in deep abdominal breathing, practice it when you find yourself becoming anxious or tense.
This type of breathing is useful in that it helps to slow down the various functions in your body that can keep you tense and anxious.Allowing yourself to deep breathe will slow your heart rate and make it easier to drift off to sleep. Over time, this strategy can help you combat shallow breathing and night and improve sleep.
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Repeating a Mantra
Getty / SrdjanPav
Once you have mastered the art of abdominal breathing, you can add in amantrathat helps you to focus on the relaxation aspect of your breath.
Mantra meditation, a type of meditation that combines mantras with meditative breathing exercises, can help improve sleep.
Be sure to pause before you exhale and before you inhale. As you exhale, become aware of any tension in your body and let it go.
You can even use your imagination to picture your body accepting relaxation and letting go of tension. Picture these experiences as visual events such as air moving in and out of your body.
Continue doing this for 5 to 10 minutes until you start to feel sleepy.
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4-7-8 Breathing Routine
LaylaBird / Getty Images
It’s important to note that when you breathe like this, you should inhale quietly but exhale while making a nose. Keep your tongue in the same spot throughout the whole exercise. Make sure that you maintain the ratio of time for inhale/holding/exhale as this is what is most important.
If you want to do everything faster the first few times you do this (if you find holding your breath for this long is difficult), feel free to modify the time and work your way up as you get accustomed to the exercise.
Practicebreathing like thistwice a day (again, only do four breaths at a time). Do this consistently for one month. As you grow more confident you can extend to eight breaths. Working your way up gradually can help reduce the shallow breathing at night that interferes with sleep.
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Body Scan
Getty / Lix Wirtinger/Corbis/VCG
Research indicates that regularly practicing body scan can help combat sleep issues.
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Counting While Breathing
Getty / Mike Ramirez / EyeEm
There are many variations on this counting breaths theme. For example, you could count backward from 99 to help you fall asleep. See what works best for you and practice it until you feel sleepy.
Counting can help you focus on your breathing, leading to deeper breathes and reducing the tendency to take shallow breaths at night.
6Breathing ImageryGetty / FranckreporterFocusing on therhythm of your breathingis another way to help you fall asleep.The following steps allow you to take advantage of this method of becoming relaxed at bedtime.Lie down in bed and start to focus on the relaxation that you feel as you exhale your breath.Feel your bed supporting you as you step down into a relaxed state while you exhale.As you become more relaxed, focus your exhales and notice how you feel when you do them. Examples of sensations might include sinking into the bed, a feeling of things slowing down, a feeling of heaviness, or even sometimes feeling like you have more patience.As you become relaxed, start to imagine that your breath is made up of colors. Watch as you breathe in and out and see those colors matching your breath. Don’t force anything or try to put your own box around it—just let yourself slip into the experience and see what comes up in your mind.Focus only on your breath until you fall asleep.It may sound simple, butimageryis a powerful way to relax and should always be considered helpful when you are engaging in breathing exercises to help yourself slow down before bed.
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Breathing ImageryGetty / FranckreporterFocusing on therhythm of your breathingis another way to help you fall asleep.The following steps allow you to take advantage of this method of becoming relaxed at bedtime.Lie down in bed and start to focus on the relaxation that you feel as you exhale your breath.Feel your bed supporting you as you step down into a relaxed state while you exhale.As you become more relaxed, focus your exhales and notice how you feel when you do them. Examples of sensations might include sinking into the bed, a feeling of things slowing down, a feeling of heaviness, or even sometimes feeling like you have more patience.As you become relaxed, start to imagine that your breath is made up of colors. Watch as you breathe in and out and see those colors matching your breath. Don’t force anything or try to put your own box around it—just let yourself slip into the experience and see what comes up in your mind.Focus only on your breath until you fall asleep.It may sound simple, butimageryis a powerful way to relax and should always be considered helpful when you are engaging in breathing exercises to help yourself slow down before bed.
Breathing Imagery
Getty / Franckreporter
Focusing on therhythm of your breathingis another way to help you fall asleep.The following steps allow you to take advantage of this method of becoming relaxed at bedtime.
It may sound simple, butimageryis a powerful way to relax and should always be considered helpful when you are engaging in breathing exercises to help yourself slow down before bed.
7Visualization to Release EnergyGetty / MikosWhen trying to fall asleep, it is helpful if you can practice exercises that help torelax both your mind and your body. This is a way to expel energy and prepare for sleep.To practice this technique, follow the steps below.Imagine that the worry, stress, or anxiety inside of you is a colored gas and is filling every corner of your body.Imagine that as you exhale, this colored gas is being expelled from every part of your body and as it leaves, you start to relax. Imagine it moving from your lower body up through your torso and gathering in a ball ready to be expelled.Imagine now that the same energy is being pulled from your head down into the ball of energy. Feel that calm has entered all areas where that energy has left.Now, imagine that the ball of energy contains all of your negative energy like your anxiety and fear. Visualize it shooting out of the top of your head and up into the atmosphere like a shooting star.Now, notice how you feel relaxed, calm, and ready to sleep.Visualize a pleasant scene as you take deep, slow breaths. Using this type of imagery can reduce shallow breathing at night and help you fall asleep more readily.
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Visualization to Release EnergyGetty / MikosWhen trying to fall asleep, it is helpful if you can practice exercises that help torelax both your mind and your body. This is a way to expel energy and prepare for sleep.To practice this technique, follow the steps below.Imagine that the worry, stress, or anxiety inside of you is a colored gas and is filling every corner of your body.Imagine that as you exhale, this colored gas is being expelled from every part of your body and as it leaves, you start to relax. Imagine it moving from your lower body up through your torso and gathering in a ball ready to be expelled.Imagine now that the same energy is being pulled from your head down into the ball of energy. Feel that calm has entered all areas where that energy has left.Now, imagine that the ball of energy contains all of your negative energy like your anxiety and fear. Visualize it shooting out of the top of your head and up into the atmosphere like a shooting star.Now, notice how you feel relaxed, calm, and ready to sleep.Visualize a pleasant scene as you take deep, slow breaths. Using this type of imagery can reduce shallow breathing at night and help you fall asleep more readily.
Visualization to Release Energy
Getty / Mikos
When trying to fall asleep, it is helpful if you can practice exercises that help torelax both your mind and your body. This is a way to expel energy and prepare for sleep.
To practice this technique, follow the steps below.
Visualize a pleasant scene as you take deep, slow breaths. Using this type of imagery can reduce shallow breathing at night and help you fall asleep more readily.
A Word From VerywellThe next time you find it hard to fall asleep, try practicing one of the above seven breathing exercises for better sleep. If you still struggle, consider visiting your doctor to see if there is an underlying cause of your insomnia or poor sleep.
A Word From Verywell
The next time you find it hard to fall asleep, try practicing one of the above seven breathing exercises for better sleep. If you still struggle, consider visiting your doctor to see if there is an underlying cause of your insomnia or poor sleep.
8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jerath R, Beveridge C, Barnes VA.Self-regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:780. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00780Duke University.Breathing for relaxation.Álvarez-Pérez Y, Rivero-Santana A, Perestelo-Pérez L, et al.Effectiveness of mantra-based meditation on mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3380. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063380Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC.Three breathing exercises and techniques.Rutgers.Sleep inducing techniques.Hubbling A, Reilly-Spong M, Kreitzer MJ, Gross CR.How mindfulness changed my sleep: focus groups with chronic insomnia patients.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:50. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-50Schaffer L, Jallo N, Howland L, James K, Glaser D, Arnell K.Guided imagery: an innovative approach to improving maternal sleep quality.J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2013;27(2):151-159. doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182870426UC Santa Cruz.Energy release visualization for sleep.
8 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jerath R, Beveridge C, Barnes VA.Self-regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:780. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00780Duke University.Breathing for relaxation.Álvarez-Pérez Y, Rivero-Santana A, Perestelo-Pérez L, et al.Effectiveness of mantra-based meditation on mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3380. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063380Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC.Three breathing exercises and techniques.Rutgers.Sleep inducing techniques.Hubbling A, Reilly-Spong M, Kreitzer MJ, Gross CR.How mindfulness changed my sleep: focus groups with chronic insomnia patients.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:50. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-50Schaffer L, Jallo N, Howland L, James K, Glaser D, Arnell K.Guided imagery: an innovative approach to improving maternal sleep quality.J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2013;27(2):151-159. doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182870426UC Santa Cruz.Energy release visualization for sleep.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jerath R, Beveridge C, Barnes VA.Self-regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:780. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00780Duke University.Breathing for relaxation.Álvarez-Pérez Y, Rivero-Santana A, Perestelo-Pérez L, et al.Effectiveness of mantra-based meditation on mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3380. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063380Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC.Three breathing exercises and techniques.Rutgers.Sleep inducing techniques.Hubbling A, Reilly-Spong M, Kreitzer MJ, Gross CR.How mindfulness changed my sleep: focus groups with chronic insomnia patients.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:50. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-50Schaffer L, Jallo N, Howland L, James K, Glaser D, Arnell K.Guided imagery: an innovative approach to improving maternal sleep quality.J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2013;27(2):151-159. doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182870426UC Santa Cruz.Energy release visualization for sleep.
Jerath R, Beveridge C, Barnes VA.Self-regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:780. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00780
Duke University.Breathing for relaxation.
Álvarez-Pérez Y, Rivero-Santana A, Perestelo-Pérez L, et al.Effectiveness of mantra-based meditation on mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3380. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063380
Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC.Three breathing exercises and techniques.
Rutgers.Sleep inducing techniques.
Hubbling A, Reilly-Spong M, Kreitzer MJ, Gross CR.How mindfulness changed my sleep: focus groups with chronic insomnia patients.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:50. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-50
Schaffer L, Jallo N, Howland L, James K, Glaser D, Arnell K.Guided imagery: an innovative approach to improving maternal sleep quality.J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2013;27(2):151-159. doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182870426
UC Santa Cruz.Energy release visualization for sleep.
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