Breathe your way to better sleep: how breathwork can help you fall asleep faster & sleep deeper

When was the last time you had a good night sleep and woke up feeling fully rested?

Studies show that up to 80% of adults with generalised anxiety experience sleep disturbances and insomnia.

A lack of quality sleep can have a direct impact on your memory and your ability to regulate your emotions, manage your attention and process information.

But here’s the good news: the way you breathe has a direct impact on your ability to relax and fall into deep, restorative sleep.

By practicing breathwork before bed, and even throughout the day, you can calm your nervous system, quiet mental chatter, and set yourself up for better sleep every night.

In this guide, we’ll explore the science behind breathwork for sleep and share five practical techniques you can start using tonight to fall asleep faster and wake up feeling refreshed.

Why the link between your breath & sleep matters

Many people who struggle with sleep have dysregulated breathing patterns.

Dysregulated breathing patterns are generally caused by poor breathing habits such as:

• mouth breathing

• taking shallow, quick breaths

• breathing rapidly and erratically (hyperventilating)

• holding your breath when you’re stressed

• frequently sighing or yawning.

These breathing habits can keep your nervous system stuck in a fight-or-flight state, making it difficult to wind down at night.

What you might experience:

• Over breathing and sleep disruptions
  Shallow, rapid breathing (similar to when you hyperventilate or have a panic attack) increases your heart rate and stress levels, making it harder to relax this can contribute to sleep disruptions.

• Mouth breathing and poor oxygenation
  Breathing through the mouth reduces oxygen efficiency. This leads to restless sleep and waking up feeling groggy.

• High cortisol and racing thoughts
  Stress and anxiety keep the body in an alert state, making it difficult to shift into deep sleep cycles.

Breathwork can help to regulate the nervous system, lower cortisol, and optimize oxygen flow, creating a balanced internal environment for quality sleep.

The science of breathwork for sleep

Breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” system, which counteracts stress, lowers your heart rate, and promotes relaxation.

Here’s how it works:

• Slows down the heart rate
  Deep breathing reduces stress hormones and signals to the brain that it's time to relax.

• Increases melatonin production
  Certain breathing rhythms can help regulate sleep hormones.

• Releases muscle tension
  Conscious breathing allows the body to fully unwind and prepare for rest.

• Improves oxygen efficiency
  Proper breathing enhances oxygen levels, supporting deeper, more restorative sleep cycles.

Breathwork techniques for deeper sleep

Here are four practical breathwork techniques to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

1. The 4-7-8 breath

Best used for: easing anxiety and preparing the body for deep sleep.

How to do it:

• Inhale deeply through the nose for 4 seconds.

• Hold the breath for 7 seconds.

• Exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds.

• Repeat for 4-6 rounds.

Why it works: the extended exhale slows heart rate, reduces stress hormones, and activates the body’s relaxation response, making it one of the best techniques for falling asleep quickly.

The 4-7-8 breath helps ease anxiety and activates the body’s relaxation response.

2. Box breathing

Best used for: clearing mental chatter and grounding yourself before sleep.

How to do it:

• Inhale for 4 seconds.

• Hold for 4 seconds.

• Exhale for 4 seconds.

• Hold again for 4 seconds.

• Repeat for 2-3 minutes.

Why it works: used by Navy SEALs to control stress, this method creates rhythmic breathing, which calms an overactive mind and promotes relaxation.

Box breathing helps to calm an overactive mind and promotes relaxation

3. Diaphragmatic breathing

Best for: reducing physical tension and promoting full-body relaxation.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back or sit upright with one hand on your chest and one on your belly.

• Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise.

• Exhale slowly through pursed lips, feeling your belly fall.

• Repeat for 5 minutes.

Why it works: this technique switches off the stress response, lowers blood pressure, and supports deep sleep cycles.

Diaphragmatic breathing restores your natural breathing rhythm and helps to reduce physical tension in the body

4. The coherent breath

Best for: Regulating your nervous system for steady, uninterrupted sleep.

How to do it:

• Inhale for 5 seconds.

• Exhale for 5 seconds.

• Maintain this 6-breaths-per-minute rhythm for 10 minutes.

Why it works: this technique syncs breathing with heart rate variability, helping to create a relaxed, balanced internal state.

Integrating breathwork into your nightly routine

For maximum impact, practice breathwork before bed and throughout the day to keep stress levels low.

Here’s a simple routine:

• Morning reset: start your day with diaphragmatic breathing to set a calm foundation.

• Midday check-in: use box breathing to reduce stress and prevent evening anxiety buildup.

• Pre-bed ritual: practice 4-7-8 breathing to transition into sleep mode.

• In-bed wind down: use the coherent breath for 10 minutes to fully relax.

By making breathwork a daily habit, you can train your body to naturally unwind each night, making restful sleep effortless.

Final thoughts: sleep better with breathwork

If you’ve been struggling with sleep, learning how to breathe intentionally can be more beneficial long term, than another cup of coffee or scrolling through your phone at 2am.

Breathwork is a natural, science-backed way to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

If you found this helpful, you might also like to check out:

• How to calm a wired nervous system before bed… without wine or screens

• The after-work reset: how to breathe away the day before you walk in the door

• Stop running on empty: a breathing sequence to refuel your energy fast

  Ready to experience the power of breathwork in action? 

• Click here to download Master Your Breath, Own The Moment, your free step-by-step guide to reducing anxiety and increasing confidence in just five breaths.