22 February 2024 , 20:00
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There's nothing worse than dragging yourself to bed, letting your head hit the pillow, and realising you can't drift off.
If you're having trouble getting the kip you need, or spend hours waiting for your mind to shut off - you're not alone. A 2017 poll revealing two thirds of Brits suffer from disrupted sleep and 48 per cent admitting they don't get the right amount of Zzzzs.
Of course, there are a few things we can do to improve the chances of getting a good night's sleep. The NHS recommends avoiding caffeinated beverages in the evening, exercising regularly throughout the day, and trying to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. But, if none of the lifestyle tweaks are working - you may want to try a game-changing breathing technique.
Online searches for 'moon breathing' has skyrocketed over recent years, as thousands of TikTok accounts praise the exercise for helping them fall asleep faster. But where does the technique come from - and is there any evidence to suggest is actually works?
Originally known as Chandra Bhedana Pranayama, reports say the breathing exercise comes from an 'ancient yogic technique'. It is based on the Japanese concept of 'Kaizen' (a term meaning 'change for the better' or 'continuous improvement').
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Yoga teacher Gemma Nice told Glamour that moon breathing can help 'regulate your breath, heart rate and nervous system' which in turns makes you feel 'calm, relaxed and sleepy'. So, here's what you need to do when you're next lying in bed with your eyes wide open:
- Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
- Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly. Then, close the left nostril your forth finger and exhale through your right nostril.
- Repeat this alternation for a couple of minutes - trying to keep your breaths slow and deep.
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The popularity of breathing techniques to aid sleep have boomed in the West in recent years, thanks to the success of apps such as Calm and Headspace. A 2021 study did conclude that 'performing mindful breathing and sleep inducing exercise significantly improved the long-term effectiveness of insomnia treatment'. However, more research is needed to substantiate these claims.
When it comes to moon breathing, little evidence is available. This doesn't mean the technique won't work for you - but that scientists need to conduct more studies on its effects. A 2012 paper published in PubMed did find that left unilateral forced nostril breathing is effective in reducing hypertension (high blood pressure) and systolic pressure - which may help with nodding off.
"Further studies are required to enable a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved as well as determine how long such a BP lowering effect persists," researched concluded. "We recommend that this simple and cost effective technique be added to the regular management protocol of hypertension."
Did the breathing technique help you nod off? Let us know in the comments section below