Deep breathing exercises for sleep

There are many tricks and home remedies people use to help try and solve their sleep issues. Whether counting sheep, having a warm glass of milk or meditating, it's helpful to find a technique that works effectively for you.

One of the best ways to help improve your chances of falling and staying asleep is by incorporating various relaxation and deep breathing exercises into your nightly routine. For example, one technique includes breathing from your belly rather than your chest. Doing so can activate the relaxation response and lower your heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep.

To help you get started, try following the short, guided exercise below:

Step 1. Lay down in bed and close your eyes.

Step 2. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

Step 3. Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.

Step 4. Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as possible while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.

Step 5. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale, and repeat for as long as needed.