Help Me Calm Down

Breathing to fall asleep

To fall asleep faster, slow your breathing right down and stretch out the exhale. The 4-7-8 method works well: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Lying in the dark, a few quiet rounds tip your body out of alertness and toward sleep.

Start a guided breath →

Step by step

  1. Settle. Lie down in the dark, let your shoulders drop, and rest your tongue lightly behind your front teeth.
  2. Inhale for 4. Breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of four.
  3. Hold for 7. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  4. Exhale for 8. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat for four to eight rounds, letting each one feel a little heavier.

When to use it

Use it in bed when your mind will not switch off, when you wake at 3 a.m., or any time you want to wind down. The long exhale makes it calming, so it is not the one for when you need to stay alert.

Why it helps

A long, slow exhale lowers heart rate and raises vagal tone, shifting the body toward the rest-and-digest state that precedes sleep. The 4-7-8 pattern, popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil as “a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system,” is a favourite for sleep onset.

Common questions

What breathing helps you fall asleep?

Slow breathing with a long exhale. The 4-7-8 method (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8) is especially popular for sleep because the extended exhale and hold calm the nervous system.

Does 4-7-8 breathing really work for sleep?

Many people find it helps them drift off faster by slowing the heart and quieting a racing mind. It is not a sleeping pill, but it is a free, side-effect-free thing to try in bed.

I keep waking up at night — what can I do?

When you wake, resist checking the time or your phone. Instead do a few slow 4-7-8 rounds in the dark; the long exhale helps signal your body that it is safe to drift back off.

More

Try a specific technique: physiological sigh · box breathing · 4-7-8 · calm breathing. Read the blog or open the breathing tool.