The exercise: in for 4, out for 7
You can do this lying in bed with the lights off. It takes three to ten minutes.
- Get comfortable. Lie on your back or your side. Let your hands rest wherever they fall. Put your phone face down.
- Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of 4. Let your belly rise first. No need to fill up all the way.
- Breathe out for a slow count of 7. Through your nose or softly through your lips, like a long, quiet sigh.
- Go straight into the next breath. No pause and no holding. If 7 feels long, breathe out for 5 or 6; the out-breath only has to be a little longer than the in-breath.
- After a few minutes, stop counting. Let the breath go back to its own pace. If you're drifting off, let it happen.
One round of 4 in and 7 out takes about 11 seconds, so you're breathing around five or six times a minute. That slow pace is the part that matters most.
Do it with a voice and soft rain
The "Fall asleep" session guides this exact pace with a glowing ring. The voice fades out as you go, and the rain stays. 3, 5 or 10 minutes, free, no sign-up.
Start the Fall asleep session Or just listen to rain sounds for sleep in the Stay RoomWhy a longer breath out?
Slow breathing, around five or six breaths a minute, is the best-studied kind of breathing practice. Studies find it tends to shift the body toward its calmer, "rest" side. A longer out-breath is simply a comfortable way to slow down: your heart rate naturally eases a little each time you breathe out.
To be honest about it: people who do slow breathing before bed often say they sleep better, but sleep-lab studies haven't shown a clear change yet. Think of it as a calm way to end the day and settle your mind, not a sleeping pill. It's free, it's gentle, and it's easy to try tonight.
Why not 4-7-8 breathing?
The popular 4-7-8 method asks you to hold your breath for 7 counts. We leave breath-holds out. Traditional pranayama teachers keep holds for students working with a teacher, and the calming effect of 4-7-8 most likely comes from slowing down, which you get without the hold. No study has shown that 4-7-8 puts you to sleep "in 60 seconds".
Tips that make it easier
- Start before you're desperate. Five minutes when you first lie down works better than twenty at 3am.
- Keep it soft. If you feel light-headed or short of air, stop and breathe normally. Easy always beats long.
- Mind wandering? That's normal. Notice it, then come back to the next out-breath. Nothing to get right.
- Same time each night. A small routine, a few slow breaths after the lights go off, tells your body the day is over.
Safety
For relaxation and general wellbeing, not medical advice. If sleep problems go on for weeks, talk to a doctor.
Only practise lying or sitting somewhere safe, never while driving or in or near water. If you're pregnant or have a health condition, read the disclaimer first.