Your Brain Is Always Working
It’s not like your brain sleeps when you drift off for the night. It always works, and very much so when you are sleeping. Falling and returning to sleep after awaking is a special problem for many. It is a common concern for those I have worked with as their therapist, coach, counselor, or whatever you wish to call the person offering help.
Think of the brain as an ongoing computer. It plays files that need attention, such as unfinished tasks at work, worries about financial issues, or anxieties about one thing or another. All of these start your brain working, introducing uneasiness when you do nothing but want to get to sleep. You are saying to yourself, I must get to sleep. I have a big day tomorrow. Will I be ready to make that important sales presentation in the morning? The list is long for most of us, and we want to learn how to alter brain activity so it becomes a brain action pattern conducive to all stages of sleep, especially deep sleep, as seen during REM time. For now, we want to focus on getting to sleep. So, let’s have a go at it.
Establish A Brain Rhythm Conducive To Sleep
In the days of yore, people used to count sheep jumping over a fence as their tool for getting to sleep. It’s not a bad idea. Let’s continue that same line of thought and learn a new way to establish a brain rhythm that is repetitive, mechanical, and easy to do. This method also facilitates the ability to focus when wanted or needed.
Slow, Rhythmic, Mechanical Pulsing
Slow rhythms create an environment for good sleep, such as in hypnosis, the sound of the surf, gentle rainfall, counting numbers, counting sheep, and yes, counting breaths.
Counting Your Breaths To Go To Sleep
First, you want to know how to breathe correctly so your breathing leads to sleep. Let’s start with Deep Rhythmic Breaths, beginning with a deep inhale through your nose, followed by a slow exhale through your mouth, in a four-to-eight or so ratio. The ratio can vary, but slow exhalation is critical because it activates the vagus nerve to release acetylcholine, your built-in tranquilizer. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body, starting at your lower abdomen and concluding in the facial area. A deep breath done correctly has multiple positive effects, especially when exhaling slowly.
Try It Now
Inhale through your nose, then slowly exhale through your mouth. When inhaling, you must expand your stomach because this expands your diaphragm, creating more space for your lungs to grow. You are getting more oxygen and stretching out your rib cage, which also contributes to deep relaxation and sleep.
Counting Your Breaths Leads To Sleep
- Promotes deep relaxation by aligning body and mind.
- Enhances focus, making it easier to quiet racing thoughts.
- Reduces anxiety through slow, rhythmic breathing.
- Encourages a natural transition into restful sleep.
Focusing skills resulting from deep rhythmic breathing need to be practiced, which occurs when you do two things. First, you inhale and exhale correctly. Second, you focus on your “breathing,” so mind/body activity is aligned. You want to breathe correctly, as this alone generates relaxation. You also want to focus on breathing to coordinate your brain activity with your lower body activity. You gradually fall asleep when you do up to ten such breaths without losing focus on your breathing. I say up to ten because you might fall asleep before 10. If you get to ten, just start over, repeat the process, and you will probably go to sleep before you get to ten again. Don’t try to relax, which causes tension. Just go with the flow and allow yourself to surrender to the deep breathing, the evolving relaxation, and a drifting-off process.
Counting Your Breaths Is A Skill To Be Learned
Remember that you are learning a skill that takes some time to acquire. You don’t have to worry about whether it works or not, as worrying is just another brain activity keeping you awake. Just let go. Proceed quietly and calmly. It will work out if you give it some time. All skills involve the development of neural pathways in our brain, and practicing counting your breaths does just that. Soon, your brain will have new pathways, and you will have the opportunity to use them to your best advantage.
A Few Thoughts On The Nature Of Quality Sleep
Sleep consists of four distinct stages, each playing a critical role in rest and recovery. In Stage 1, you begin the process of falling asleep, transitioning into light sleep during Stage 2. Stage 3 is characterized as deep sleep, the phase where your body undergoes significant restoration. Finally, Stage 4 involves REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement), the stage where dreaming occurs.
During REM sleep, your brain experiences intense activity while your body remains mostly inactive, apart from the movement of your eye muscles and diaphragm. REM is most prevalent during the early morning hours and represents a small but vital part of the total sleep cycle. Notably, REM sleep is essential as the brain consumes significant oxygen during this phase, supporting cognitive function and emotional regulation. Sleep cycles repeat several times throughout the night, with REM duration increasing in both length and depth with each successive cycle.
Understanding these stages underscores the importance of a consistent sleep pattern to achieve restorative rest and maintain overall well-being.
The Impact Of Sleep Disorders
Keep in mind that sleep disorders are a billion-dollar industry and very common, especially for those bothered by the accumulating tensions of the day. Do you struggle with the tensions of the day keeping you awake? Sometimes, a good sleep routine will resolve many other mental, physical, and emotional problems. It is generally understood that sleeping pills disrupt the ability to enter deep sleep. In the words of Dr. William Dement of the Stanford Sleep Clinic, “All sleeping pills cause insomnia.” For more information on his provocative book, check out Some Must Watch While Some Must Sleep.
Mastering Sleep Through Focus
By practicing the martial arts breathing technique outlined here, you can take control of your sleep and experience the benefits of relaxation, focus, and reduced anxiety. The act of counting your breaths combines the power of mindful attention with physical relaxation, allowing you to fall asleep naturally and wake up feeling refreshed. Remember, like any skill, it takes time and patience to master—but the rewards are worth it. Make tonight the first step toward better sleep and a more focused, energized you.