Yoga Explorer

tired, but still wide awake? 🥹

Yoga Explorer | AUG 4, 2026

Yoga for Better Sleep: Part One

Let’s start with the basics. Let’s start with the breath.

Your breathing pattern sends your nervous system information about how your body should respond. Quick, shallow breathing can keep you feeling alert, while slower, more deliberate breathing helps signal that it is safe to soften and settle.

1. Breathe in and out through your nose.
Breathing through your nose naturally slows and regulates the flow of air. It can also support the calming, parasympathetic side of the nervous system—exactly what we want to encourage before sleep.

2. Use diaphragmatic breathing, also called belly breathing.
As you inhale, allow your belly to expand. As you exhale, let it gently fall. This means your diaphragm is doing more of the work instead of relying on the smaller muscles in your upper chest and shoulders. The breath becomes slower, deeper and more efficient, helping release some of the physical tension you may be carrying from the day.

3. Make your exhale longer than your inhale.
Try inhaling for a count of two and exhaling for a count of four. Your heart rate naturally tends to increase slightly as you breathe in and slow as you breathe out. Extending the exhale gives your body more time in that calming phase and can help quiet both physical and mental restlessness.