The breathwork trick that helps me sleep when I’m stressed—and my yoga clients love it too

When stress or a busy mind keeps me awake or disturbs my sleep, there’s one breathing exercise that helps my body and mind unwind naturally—and one my yoga therapy clients now love too.

The secret is in shifting the body from a wired, activated state (your sympathetic mode) to your resting parasympathetic state (your body’s natural relaxation response). The trick to doing this is simply by extending your exhale longer than your inhale.

By consciously controlling your breath like this, it sends powerful signals to your brain, through the vagus nerve, telling it you’re safe to relax into sleep. As you focus on the rhythm of your breath, you might notice your body soften and your thoughts slow down.

This simple breathwork practice is not only great for getting restful sleep, it can also be used anytime and anywhere you feel overwhelmed.

How to do the long exhale

• Lie or sit in a comfortable position.
• Connect to your body’s position by feeling the points of contact between you and the surface you’re on.
• Place your hands on your abdomen, if you wish, to feel the movement of your breath. Otherwise rest them by your sides, palms facing up to relax the shoulders.
• Soften your eyes and mouth, and follow a few rounds of natural breath.
• Start to count the length of your inhale and exhale.
• After a few rounds, gradually extend your exhale longer than your inhale.
• Extend by a couple of counts or longer without strain.
• After five or 10 rounds, notice how you feel. Repeat as necessary.

Expert tips: Find a rhythm that feels natural and sustainable. If you inhale for a count of four, exhale for a count of six. Stay with that rhythm or extend it without forcing it.

You can practice this so it becomes a regular part of your bedtime routine or use it when you need to. The more you practice it, the easier it will become for your body to settle into a more restful state.