By using breathing exercises we can create a calmer emotional state that will help us drift into sleep.
1. 4-7-8 Breathing:
Sit in a comfortable position;
Empty your lungs by exhaling through your mouth and making a whooshing sound;
Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds;
Hold your breath for 7 seconds;
Exhale from the mouth for 8 seconds;
Repeat for 4/5 minutes.
2. Abdominal breathing:
Sit in a comfortable position;
Place a hand on your chest and one on your abdomen to monitor where your breath is coming from;
If your chest is the part that is moving, on the next inhale try to move the air deep into your abdomen;
Continue until you feel that you can easily lift your abdomen;
Repeat for 4/5 minutes.
3. Imagery Breathing:
Sit in a comfortable position;
On each exhale, become aware of the weight of your body against the mattress and the feeling of your mattress supporting your body;
Become more aware of the sensations in your body and the slowing down of your mind with each exhale;
Then, try to imagine your exhales as colours. What colours do you see?
Continue for 4/5 minutes.