Episodic sleep disorders happen in the life of every person and do not pose a danger to his health. The systematic occurrence of the problem threatens mental disorders, malfunctions of internal organs, and a decrease in the quality of life. To combat the signs of dyssomnia, modern people often use medications, which is a fundamentally wrong approach. Doctors urge people to try less aggressive methods first, including special breathing exercises for insomnia. They are simple, affordable, safe, highly effective and can be used without medical supervision.
Doctors recommend breathing exercises for problems falling asleep.
The benefits of breathing exercises for healthy sleep
Proper breathing and normal, healthy, deep sleep have a direct connection. This explains the difficulty of falling asleep in a room with hot or dry air, against the background of overexcitation, after vigorous physical activity. Under the influence of all these factors, oxygen starvation develops in the brain tissue, which does not allow the organ to switch off and rest.
If you learn to breathe correctly, you can speed up the process of restoring tissue respiration, as well as minimize the negative consequences of hypoxia.
The results of using breathing exercises to get rid of insomnia:
- increasing the functionality of the respiratory tract, relieving the symptoms of chronic respiratory pathologies;
- stimulation of blood circulation and cerebral metabolism, saturation of nervous tissue with oxygen, its cleansing of toxins;
- elimination of muscle spasms and pain;
- reduction of emotional stress, elimination of the effects of mental fatigue, stabilization of the central nervous system;
- strengthening the immune system;
- reducing the risk of development and/or progression of chronic diseases of the heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, and endocrine glands.
Breathing techniques slow down the progression of chronic heart diseases.
First of all, breathing exercises help not only to quickly calm down, but also to distract from unpleasant memories and obsessive thoughts with a negative connotation.
All these factors force the brain to continue working even after going to bed, preventing the body from falling asleep.
Practice traditional meditative breathing
If you think that anxiety and a busy head are the main obstacle to sleep, then it's time to try meditation for yourself.
If you love zucchini, then this dish is for you. Aromatic casserole without meat
I definitely put chicken sauce on the table. Cook quickly, eat even faster
Director Vladimir Panzhev: “The fate of Yeralash is under threat”
Neuroscientist and meditation specialist Katherine Curry has discovered that focusing on your breath is the first ingredient needed for a focused meditation practice. The combination of breathing and landing, and then watching the air move throughout the body, helps begin the process of relaxing all the muscles.
Such physical relaxation can relieve stress and relieve negative thoughts and feelings. Feel your breath and repeat this exercise for 10 minutes to enjoy a great night's sleep.
Breathing exercises before bed
It is better to accustom your body to these types of effects gradually, ultimately choosing one leading technique. The remaining exercises will become auxiliary, strengthening, if necessary, a not very lasting result.
It is better to accustom your body using therapeutic techniques gradually.
Breathing techniques that are effective for insomnia:
- calming - breathing in which only the stomach is involved, and the chest remains motionless. To relieve tension and relax, it is enough to take 5-7 breaths in and out at a very slow pace;
- full – lie on your back, exhale completely. Start slowly inhaling air through your nose, first filling your stomach, then your chest. At the final stage, lift the collarbones to allow some more air to enter. Then do the same complete exhalation, working in the opposite direction from the collarbones to the abdomen. Gymnastics for insomnia involves up to 7 repetitions;
- anti-stress – a relaxing modification of “full breathing”, in which the exercise is complemented by the pronunciation of a hissing sound as you exhale. At this moment, you need to imagine all the negativity that “comes out” of the body with a hiss;
- counting to 10 - you need to pronounce the numbers from 1 to 10 to yourself, inhaling on the odd numbers and exhaling on the even ones. It’s not enough to just breathe and count; you need to skillfully name the numbers, drawing them in your imagination, performing deep breathing movements, completely surrendering to the activity.
One technique involves making a hissing sound as you exhale.
If at some point a failure occurs, everything must be started over.
You should close your eyes with your palms, try to relax, and then start doing gymnastics again.
Start slow
We are sure that you may have already tried this method. But they probably did everything wrong. In fact, most of us don't even know how to breathe deeply through our chest and lungs. You need to not just breathe, but focus all your attention on deep breathing in order to lower your heart rate and blood pressure, thereby relaxing the entire body.
A 2010 study found that slow breathing allows the parasympathetic system (which is responsible for our ability to rest) to overcome tension in the sympathetic system (which regulates the automatic response to stress). Breathing slowly, you will feel your chest expand, allowing air to fill your lungs, and then exhale in the normal way you normally breathe. Lie down on your bed and try to breathe slowly for 10 minutes before going to bed.
NASA: 2021 repeated the temperature record of four years ago
It's cool to be a part of Suntory Sungoliath. The new Sungoliath season starts on January 16th
Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place: preparations have begun
Breathing exercises using the “4-7-8” technique
A unique technique for developing the habit of falling asleep quickly. To obtain lasting results, it is recommended to do this type of breathing exercises in the morning and evening every day for 2 months. First, the maximum exhalation is done through the mouth, but it should not interfere with breathing or cause a cough. Then comes a nasal inhalation with a slow count to four. This is followed by holding the breath for a count of seven, which is carried out at a similar speed. The last step is to exhale with a count of eight.
For the first time, it is enough to perform 2-3 repetitions, gradually their number is increased to 7-8. The pause between approaches is arbitrary, but no more than a minute. An important point is that during the entire exercise, the tip of the tongue should touch the palate directly behind the teeth.
The 4-7-8 technique will help you fall asleep quickly.
Double exhale
A 2006 study found that this form of breathing can restore the body's automatic nervous system by synchronizing the heart, lungs and brain. You need to lie on the bed on your back, inhale for 3 seconds and then exhale for 6 seconds. Continue the exercise until you start to fall asleep.
Believe me, all this is much more effective than counting sheep.
Found a violation? Report content
To enhance the effect
The effectiveness of gymnastics will increase if, simultaneously with its implementation, you influence the causes of insomnia, taking into account the principles of sleep hygiene. Important points are: adherence to a daily routine, proper nutrition, comfortable sleeping place, giving up bad habits. An additional positive factor will be the use of aromatherapy techniques.
To relax and make it easier to fall asleep, just rub a drop of lavender ether diluted in vegetable oil into your temples.
Stretching will relieve muscle tension. The main thing is not to choose too active exercises and devote no more than 5 minutes to gymnastics. From a standing position with your feet together, just stretch your arms up, slightly arching your back and throwing your head back. At the same time, each muscle should tense, after which you can return to the starting position. After this, it is recommended to lie on your back, raise both legs to the wall, lift your pelvis from the horizontal surface and again tense your whole body for a few seconds.
After training, you need to lie on your back and raise both legs to the wall.
Exercise in the evening: possible or not
Effective gymnastic exercises for good and long sleep are an excellent addition to breathing complexes for insomnia.
Yoga. A system that is universally recognized and proven in practice, suitable for people of any age and body type. It includes 10 poses and begins with concentration.
Qigong. Chinese health-improving gymnastics aimed at restoring balance of body and spirit. Can be performed both at home and outdoors. Daily exercises will help relieve fatigue, normalize your emotional state, and eliminate pain.
Contraindications
Persons with infectious diseases or any pathologies of the respiratory system will have to refuse to perform breathing exercises. Such actions should be carried out with caution in old age. If a patient over 60 years of age has not previously practiced such gymnastics, it is no longer recommended to start it. Do not strain the body at elevated body temperature, weakness, or general malaise. If you really want to sleep after going to bed, you can also refrain from the session so as not to disturb your sleep.
Breathing exercises for insomnia are safe and effective. They are available, do not require special knowledge, and rarely cause discomfort. At the same time, you need to understand that it will not be possible to get rid of sleep disorders only with their help; the approach must be comprehensive.
If you have trouble sleeping
If you have trouble sleeping, know that you are not alone! According to the American Sleep Association, insomnia is a very common complaint these days. Thus, about 30% of American adults have short-term sleep disturbances, and more than 10% experience chronic problems falling asleep or constant daytime sleepiness.
In our fast-paced and fast-paced world, with a busy pace of life, when days are filled with household chores, endless work, financial difficulties, parental impotence and other emotionally draining situations, it can be difficult to relax, calm down and fall asleep.
Many of us in such a situation grab pills, but few people know that insomnia can be overcome not only with the help of sedatives and sleeping pills, but also with breathing exercises.
What else affects sleep?
Some substances cause drowsiness: antihistamines, melatonin, some psychotropic drugs, marijuana, alcohol. While some of them induce sleep, they can block REM sleep and lead to disrupted sleep later.
For example, alcohol acts as a sedative and can help you fall asleep, but after a while it has a strong stimulant effect, and you may suddenly wake up in the middle of the night.
Stimulants that interfere with sleep: caffeine and theine (coffee and tea, respectively), amphetamines and other drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, nicotine, energy drinks, etc. All of them have many side effects and can be addictive.
Some foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan (bananas, dates, peanut butter, tuna, shrimp, turkey, yogurt, milk) and foods high in carbohydrates that increase serotonin (breads, cereals, sugars) improve sleep.
But foods containing tyramine (bacon, ham, eggplant, raspberries, avocados, nuts, soy sauce, red wine) can have the opposite effect, making it difficult to fall asleep.
Additional tips for improving sleep quality
To restore normal sleep and speed up the process of falling asleep, it is necessary to create optimal conditions in the bedroom.
- Free the room from unnecessary things and get rid of allergens - flowers, carpets.
- Properly arrange your sleeping place by choosing a moderately elastic mattress and several pillows - under your head, neck, back, knees.
- Drink a cup of tea or a glass of milk with honey at night.
- Eliminate indoor lighting sources and draw curtains.
- Ensure silence in the room - turn off the TV, computer.
In combination with breathing exercises, these activities will help ensure a strong and healthy rest with pleasant dreams.
Why is sleep so important?
Among other healthy lifestyle tools, sleep is underestimated, although it is one of the foundations of beauty and health. We worry about eating right, exercising, but forget to sleep properly.
If you can (and many do) live to old age with a bad diet and without sports, even if the quality of life deteriorates, then you cannot live without sleep for more than a couple of weeks.
For centuries, sleep was thought to be a passive, unconscious state. But now we know that this is not so. Sleep is a complex process of active internal restoration of the body.
Lack of sleep worsens the quality of life on all fronts: it spoils mood, mental functions, memory, affects appearance, causes chronic fatigue and reduces training results.
In addition, lack of sleep is associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, as well as excess weight and obesity risks (, , ,).
Mechanism 1: Circadian rhythms
All animals and plants have internal "clocks" that synchronize with environmental signals. The most important of these signals is daylight.
Circadian rhythms control our sleep, appetite, attention and concentration, body temperature, brain activity, hormones, cell renewal, repair and many other things. Thus, the levels of melatonin (sleep hormone) and cortisol (stress hormone that provides the body with glucose) directly depend on them. And it doesn’t matter whether a person is sleeping or not.
Other hormones are controlled by sleep. Growth hormone increases during deep sleep and is responsible for tissue repair, renewal and restoration. Thyroid-stimulating hormone, which is produced by the thyroid gland and controls metabolism, decreases during sleep.
The circadian clock is an area in the hypothalamus about the size of a pinhead, one in each hemisphere of the brain. There are about 20,000 small nerve cells called neurons. They send signals to other parts of the brain using dozens of neurotransmitters. This is how circadian rhythms control many processes in the body.
Interestingly, each neuron has its own 24-hour rhythm, so the circadian clock appears to operate at a subcellular level.
Circadian rhythms, relying on nature's own internal clock, do not require light or dark to operate. They work even if a person is completely cut off from daylight. But the cycle of light and dark helps them synchronize with the external environment and avoid "cumulative" errors that can cause system failures over time.
Circadian ri within a couple of hours, depending on the person's chronotype. This defines larks and owls.
Not all people are divided into night owls and larks - it is believed that up to 20% of people fall into these categories. Their circadian clock is shifted in one direction or another, and this is partly encoded in their genes. Sometimes deviations from the “norm” are difficult to deal with, which can worsen the quality of life.
