Mindful breathing for better sleep
Mindful breathing for better sleep is one of the first things you can try because the breath is free for everyone on the planet.
In my book, Breathe Better, Sleep Better, I’m sharing the amazing power of the breath. I believe that the breath tells the story. If you are feeling anxious, you breathe in a certain way, if you are feeling angry you breath in a certain way. If you are absolutely exhausted, you probably feel like you are suffocating. Thought and breath are intimately connected.
When the breath moves so does thought. Disturbed thought = disturbed breath.
It’s enough to start becoming mindful of your breath for the awareness to start turning inwards rather than being pulled outwards into the chaos of the external world.
The breath is the direct ink between the inner and outer world and can take you in either direction. Deepening the breath directs the awareness inwards, but allowing it to become upset and flustered draws it outwards.
It’s difficult to get your thoughts under control, in fact, it may feel like you have no control over your mind.
However, as soon as you put your attention on the breath, your breath lengthens and your mind calms down.
You can, therefore, control the mind with the breath, therefore, mindful breathing for better sleep
In the process of breathing, you inhale air from outside your body, but at the same time, you are coming into contact with the life force aspect of the breath called Prana. Short unconscious breathing, starves you of the vital prana, creates stress and keeps you focused on the ego. The ego teases you… I’m losing this, I’m losing that, I’m not this, I’m not that.
Instead, relaxed, long breathing, calms the nervous system, calms the mind and turns your awareness into your soul. The ego voice becomes quieter and eventually it’s silenced.
As soon as you start putting your full awareness on the breath, your energy introverts so that the mind becomes crystal clear and you can observe the outside world with detachment.
I’ve recorded this poem which expresses the beauty of surrendering to the breath.
Breath by Breath, Danna Faulds
Visit my Sleepology Sleep School for my course on the breath.