Slow Breathing To Prepare The Body For Sleep

A ten minute practice at under four breaths a minute, with a seven second inhale and a nine second exhale. This is the slowest of the longer exhale patterns and it suits the last part of the evening, when you want the body moving towards sleep rather than staying alert.
Extending the exhale shifts the balance of each breath towards the phase where heart rate falls. Held for ten minutes at this pace, that adds up to a noticeably quieter system than the one you started with.
Take a small breath in. Nine seconds of exhale is comfortable when the inhale is quiet, and uncomfortable when it is not. If your mouth opens near the end of an outbreath, that round is simply finished. Start the next one and carry on.
Best approached once the shorter patterns feel easy. If slow breathing is new to you, build up to this rather than starting here.

Transcript

Welcome. So to begin, Let's just get set up. This is going to be a 10 minute practice of finding a position that you won't need to change. Be seated with the back upright or lying down with something under the head. Closing the eyes if that's comfortable. Or have a soft gaze. We're going to be breathing in and out through the nose all the way through so the mouth will stay closed. In this practice. Asks a bit more of you than the shorter patterns, So we'll take our time getting into it. No rush at the beginning. So just start by noticing how the breath is arriving today. I might give you a bit of feedback as to your capacity. Or how much room you've got. And we'll begin today with even breathing. Breathing in for seven seconds and out for seven. And this is quite slow, So take less air than feels natural. I'm going to count the first couple of rounds with you. You might like to place a hand on your belly. Let's begin with our first breath, Breathing in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. In 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. In 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Four, Five, Six, Seven. Out, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. In, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. Out, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. Nice. Continuing with this, In for seven, Out for seven. In a few moments we're going to extend our exhale a little longer than the inhale. And so we'll be breathing in for seven. And out for nine. Your heart rate rises with every inhale and it drops with every exhale. That's normal, It's meant to happen. So when you make the exhale the longer half of the breath, You spend more of your time in the part of the cycle where things can naturally slow down. So I'm going to count the first couple of rounds with you. Let's begin, Breathing in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 In 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 4 5 6 7 and out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 in 2 3 4 5 6 7 and out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and just continuing like this in for 7 out for nine. And keeping the throat relaxed and open. If you're throttling the air to make it last, You're working too hard. Don't think about a big breath, Think about a small breath, A long time. And a little bit of wanting to breathe is fine here. It'll pass on the next inhale. Allow the inhale to be full, The exhale to be easy, Leaving the body, Not forcing it out. If the mind wanders as natural, Just come back to the count on the next inhale. In for seven, Out for nine. Staying with the count, Coming into another few rounds. Now letting the count go. Breathing however you want to breathe. Notice where your breath naturally goes. And notice if anything's changed physically or mentally after this short practice. Maybe start to bring a bit of gentle movement back in, Moving the fingers, The toes, Rolling the shoulders a little bit. This is a practice you can come back to anytime you need it. And nobody knows or has to know that you're doing it. Whenever you feel complete, Gently opening the eyes.