Insomnia has taken hold of many of us during this pandemic. What is the reason and how can we combat it through breathing?
12, 1, 2 or 3 in the morning arrives and we don’t fall asleep or we get to sleep at a “normal” time, but in the early morning something wakes us up and we can’t go back to sleep. Therefore, the next day it is difficult for us to concentrate at work, and irritability, fatigue and lack of energy take over us.
Insomnia, that common sleep disorder, affected about 40% or 50% of Colombians during the pandemic.
Which is the reason?
There are some psychological causes related to anxiety and depression that many have surely experienced during these months: Unemployment, salary reduction, debts, uncertainty about the future influenced the rest.
In anxiety, endless worries look for possible solutions, preventing the body from falling asleep; while, in depression, the person wakes up several times at night or very early in the morning and does not rest as expected.
The other causes may be due to diseases such as sleep apnea, chronic pain, hypertension or inheritance. The treatment should always be guided by a specialized doctor, which is why it is so important to go to him first, but, There are a series of recommendations that you can change in your habits when preparing to sleep.
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One of them is breathing. Some psychologists recommend that using it in an episode of anxiety or anguish helps to calm down and regain control. In this case, what we are going to find is a different way to fall asleep, as indicated by Adrián Salmon, an Ecuadorian doctor specializing in sleep medicine and intensivist at the John Dempsey Hospital of the University of Connecticut:
“Focusing on deep, slow breathing helps in sleep therapy.”
The first thing we must do is provide a pleasant environment. Our room should be tidy, dark and quiet to prepare the body and mind to relax. With this ready, let’s start:
Dr. Andrew Weil, an expert in integrative medicine, developed it as a variation of pranayama, an ancient yoga technique, which helps people relax while the body replenishes oxygen. If you practice it in 60 seconds you will fall asleep.
- In a relaxation position, gently separate your lips and exhale completely.
- Then inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Exhale again for a full 8 seconds, making a loud sound.
- Repeat 4 times the first time you do the exercise. From then on do 8 repetitions.
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Bhramari pranayama
With this technique you will calm down and prepare your body to sleep peacefully.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
- Cover your ears with your hands.
- Place your index fingers, one over your eyebrows and the rest over your eyes.
- Gently press the sides of your nose and focus on the forehead area.
- Keep your mouth closed and exhale slowly through your nose, sounding the mantra “Om.”
- Repeat the process 5 times.
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Diaphragmatic breathing
With slow breathing, this technique decreases oxygen needs and strengthens the diaphragm.
- Lie on your back and bend your knees on a pillow or, if more comfortable, sit in a chair.
- Place one hand flat against your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Take slow, deep breaths through your nose, keeping one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, noticing how it rises and falls with your breath.
- Breathe slowly through pursed lips.
- Your intention should be to inhale and exhale without your chest moving, noticing how your abdomen swells. This breathing, in addition to diaphragmatic, is also known as abdominal breathing.
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Moon breathing
People who tried these exercises reported feeling less stressed when they finished.
- Sit with your legs crossed.
- Place your left hand on your knee and exhale completely, then close your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand.
- Inhale through the left nostril, open the right nostril and exhale through it, while closing the left nostril with your pinky and ring fingers.
- Continue this rotation for 5 minutes, ending by exhaling through the left nostril.