Breathing Techniques to Help You Sleep

October 28, 2025

3 min read

Один из способов победить бессонницу — правильное дыхание. Медленное, глубокое дыхание позволяет расслабиться, снижает уровень стресса, способствует выработке мелатонина, успокаивает нервную систему. Перед вами несколько известных техник, которые помогут нормализовать сон. Для большего эффекта и нормализации биоритмов, некоторые техники рекомендуется повторять несколько раз в течение дня.

Key takeaways

Один из способов победить бессонницу — правильное дыхание.
Diaphragmatic breathing
Buteyko breathing technique

Who this is for

People exploring Healthy lifestyle through insomnia, breath.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Dennis

Psychologist

Diaphragmatic breathing

Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Place a pillow under the head and a roller under the knees.
Put one hand on top of your chest and the other on your stomach just below your ribcage.
Breathe in through the nose. Concentrate on your breathing and direct the flow of air down to your belly. The hand on your abdomen will rise with your breath, while your chest should remain stationary.
Slowly exhale. Your stomach will slowly come down and your hand on top of your chest should remain stationary.
Practice for 5-10 minutes 3-4 times a day. You can gradually increase the time. As time passes, you can start doing the exercise while sitting in a chair.

Buteyko breathing technique

Sit comfortably, with your back straight and legs uncrossed. It is fine to look up or close your eyes.
Put your hands at the top and bottom of your chest. Breathe calmly through your nose.
Focus on the parts of your body that move when you breathe. Also concentrate on the lower part of your chest.
After a few minutes, place the hand that was on top of your chest on your knees.
Slowly relax the muscles in your face, jaw, neck, shoulders, stomach, hips, and legs.
Continue to control your breathing for about 3 minutes, then return to your normal rhythm.

Box breathing

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold your breath for 4 seconds
Breathe out for 4 seconds
Hold your breath again for 4 seconds and repeat
Do the exercise every day for a few minutes, preferably before going to bed

Alternating breaths through the nostrils

Sit comfortably with your back straight. You can sit cross-legged.
Relax your left hand, place it on your knee and bring your right hand to your face, placing your index and middle fingers between your eyebrows.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out through your nose.
With the thumb of your right hand, close the right nostril and breathe in slowly through the left nostril.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger, hold your breath for a moment, open your right nostril and breathe out slowly through it. Pause at the end of the exhalation.
Do the same thing in the opposite direction.
Repeat this five to ten times.

Exercise 4-7-8

Sit up straight.
Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth and hold it there for the entire exercise.
Breathe out through your mouth and make a "whistling" sound.
Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose on the count of four.
Hold your breath and count to seven.
Exhale through your mouth, making the same "whistling" sound, and count to eight.
Repeat this cycle four times, remembering to observe the ratio of the time of inhalation, breath retention and exhalation.
Practice this twice a day for one month.

Imaginative breathing

Lie in bed and focus on the relaxation you feel as you exhale.
Feel your bed supporting you as you exhale.
Focus on the breaths and the sensations that accompany them, such as sinking into bed, slowing down, and feeling heavy.
As you relax, begin to imagine your breath being colored in different colors.
Observe your breaths and exhales, and you will see that the colors match your breath. Allow yourself to immerse yourself in these sensations and follow the thoughts that come into your mind.
Concentrate on your breath until you fall asleep.

General guidelines

Try different breathing techniques to see which one helps you fall asleep better. Follow these simple rules:

Don't try too hard so as not to cause tension and overexcitement
Breathing exercises should be done no sooner than 2 hours after meals
During the practice avoid angry and aggressive thoughts, which will worsen your condition
Fully concentrate on the process and float behind your breath

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