Pre-Sleep Gentle Breathing

Dim, quiet and slow, for winding down in bed.

For when your body is tired but your mind is still switched on.

Evidence: Early evidence

Choose a length

Start · 3 min Start · 5 min Start · 10 min

Good for: Lying down, lights low. Uses the night palette and very little text.
Rhythm: In 4 · Out 6
Feel: Very gentle

Go gently. If you drift off, that is fine. The session simply ends. This is a way to wind down, not a treatment for sleep problems.

Want to know why this works?

A slow, quiet rhythm can make winding down feel less effortful. Evidence that breathing exercises improve sleep itself is limited, so think of this as a calmer way to end the day.

Show breathing science

A slow, quiet rhythm can make winding down feel easier. Evidence that breathing exercises improve sleep itself is limited.

Early evidence: Promising but limited or indirect research.

Sources

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know (opens in a new tab)
Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports. 2023;13:432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y (opens in a new tab)

The evidence

Technical timing

4 s inhale, 6 s exhale, night palette, voice cues reduced.