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Try a Breathing Exercise to Ease Into Sleep

Inhale, exhale, repeat

By

Staying Sharp

Updated April 06, 2023

Updated April 06, 2023

A woman lying on a bed with her eyes closed

Stone Sub/Getty Images

Quick Win

Mindful breathing may be your ticket to a good night’s sleep.

Try This Today

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed.
Put your palm on your stomach and watch it rise and fall as you breathe.
Focus on the feeling of your abdomen naturally expanding and contracting through deep, relaxed breaths.

Why

This exercise is a form of controlled breathing commonly practiced in yoga. It can help relax your body and clear your mind so you have an easier time falling asleep. Deep breathing helps increase melatonin, the hormone produced by the brain that helps tell your body it’s time to fall asleep, according to a 2019 review article in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

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