While falling asleep should be a very natural process, it is a widespread problem faced by millions every day. Some, even after going to the gym and getting exhausted, still have issues with the ease and quality of their sleep. Why? Well, in our experience, the most common cause is stress.
So how can we better manage stress and improve the quality and ease of our sleep?
We need to hack our body into no longer feelings “threatened”. One of the side effects of stress and pressure is that your body enters into a state of alertness. While this state can be useful for your productivity, turning it off is not so easy.
So how can we hack our body? Well, there are a few steps, some of which are related to your subconscious. What we want to achieve is effectively telling your entire system that everything is fine, there is no threat, you can relax, and it is time to rest. One of the best and most efficient bridges between your consciousness and subconsciousness is your breathing.
You can try this exercise to do the hack:
In the evening, about half an hour before you would like to go to bed.
Lay down on your bed and focus on your breathing. Take slow deep breaths and use your nostrils exclusively to both: inhale and exhale. Notice your breathing. Try to slow down the pace. Notice the air entering your nostrils and reaching your lungs. Imagine that the air that reaches your lungs is oxygen-rich and that you absorb all this energy. As you exhale, imagine that your body is relaxing, your body is melting onto your bed. When you breathe try to use your diaphragm — remember this rule: air in, abdomen out, air out, abdomen in.
Slow down the pace of your breathing.
Count 3 seconds to inhale, hold your breath for 6 seconds and exhale in 9 seconds. If you find this too hard, you can inhale in 2, hold for 4 and exhale in 8. If you find it easy, you can add one more second: 4 inhaling, 8 holding, 12 exhaling.
Once you have found the rhythm that is most adequate for you, aim to execute 10 cycles. Remember, each time you exhale, imagine that your body is relaxing, your body is melting onto your bed. This technique with this specific rhythm is very effective in relaxing and aiding you to fall asleep.
If you liked this technique and got great results, let us know and we can share with you a different breathing technique to help you to wake up the next day and start your day full of energy!