Bedtime Breathing Timer

Why slow breathing helps you fall asleep

A bedtime breathing timer gives your nervous system something gentle to focus on instead of the racing thoughts that keep you awake. Slowing the breath — especially lengthening the exhale — shifts you toward the “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) state, lowering heart rate and the sense of arousal that fights sleep.

Recommended breathing rhythms

• 4-6 relax — inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds. The longer exhale is the most calming and needs no breath-holding.
• 4-7-8 — inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8. A widely used wind-down pattern (popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil).
• Box breathing — inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. A steady square rhythm used for calming focus.