Do you have a hard time falling asleep? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and you can’t stop your mind from thinking anything from what you have to get done tomorrow to what happened last week at work to will making a little middle of the night batch of popcorn help? Folks, we have all been there at least once. I’m here to suggest something: breathe your way to sleep.
Why Sheep?
Remember way back when people were counting sheep to fall asleep? I always wondered why it was sheep and not, well, giraffes or fluffy clouds, or even little pieces of delicious chocolate! So I counted sheep. Little fluffy white baby sheep. I guess I imagined them happily galivanting in a green field with their soft fuzzy fur rubbing softly like a blanket against my cheek as I hugged them. Back then I didn’t realize that I just needed to count them and not play with them. (I mean, how could you not want to hug them? Maybe that is why it never worked!)
As I got a little older, I finally was able to understand how both counting and sheep played a roll in guiding millions of people off to the land of dreams. But there is just one thing that wasn’t ever addressed: the breath. And as I explored yoga and meditation as a means to get my mind to quiet down (amongst tons of other reasons), I realized that counting the breath was the real ticket.
Meditation, Breath, and Counting
Ok, so I am not by any means an experienced meditation practitioner. I simply try and try again, like most people, to get to a point where my mind quiets down and the flow of information that is trying to jostle it’s way into my brain sees a “temporarily closed” sign hanging on it and decides to leave and possibly come back later.
What I have learned from various teachers and reading about various methods is that it is quite alright to count during meditation. The difference between meditation or yoga and the age-old sleep remedy of counting sheep is simply the sheep! Exchange the sheep for breath and start to feel your breath coming in and flowing out. Counting the breath almost forces you to stay present in the moment while bringing awareness to your entire body. I mean, can you count and contemplate what you are going to make for dinner later at the same time? Probably not.
Start Simple…The First Step
You don’t have to learn how to meditate to fall asleep. You can start simply by noticing your breath. Make yourself nice and comfy, wherever you are. Preferably on your back with your spine nice and long. Let your body settle and get out any last minute fidgets. As you inhale, begin to notice the air coming into the nostrils. Try and tune into the cool sensation in the inhalation and the warm sensation in the exhalation. After a few minutes, place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Notice if your chest is lifting more than your belly. If it is, relax the rib cage and focus on breathing deep into the belly for the next several minutes. Feel it expand and then deflate.
Add a Little More…The Second Step
Begin to count every inhalation and exhalation. Let them be equal in length. If the inhalation is 3 seconds, let the exhalation be the same. After this feels comfortable, begin to lengthen the inhalation and exhalation to a count of 6. (you can lengthen to any number that feels right for you) Allow your mind to settle into this experience of awareness and presence. You may simply enjoy this step and fall asleep! If you want more, you can add another little step to this step. Keep reading…
Add Just a Little More…The Third Step
Start to let your exhale slow down and deepen to the bottom of your belly. In other words, exhale every last bit of air out. Naturally, your exhale will out-lengthen your inhale. That is the point. Let your inhalation become half of what the exhalation is. For instance, inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 8. It is important to remember that you should not extend your exhale passed what your lungs natural capacity is because then your body will be gasping for air. And that doesn’t sound relaxing, does it? Just stay where the breath feels soft, natural, and effortless.
You Are Probably Asleep So Nothing More to Read
Just kiddiiiiing! Take this all step by step and see how it works for you. It may take a few times to really get into the understanding of the awareness of breath and that is ok. Be patient with yourself. Sleep will come when you learn how to breathe your way to sleep!
Read a little more about breathing here.