Sleep has become one of the top performance enhancing functions. It is also, as many are experiencing, vitally important to your health and well-being. Most of the suggestions are based in lifestyle choices and behavior modifications, beds, pillows, noise machines, supplements and on. What is not as understood is how all these things are helpful, and there is one key ingredient that will impact you the most. It’s how you breathe when you sleep (and I am not referring to the condition of sleep apnea…..the wheels have already fallen off the cart if that condition is not managed well (I explain below).
And further on the breathing……Your functional breathing in the day dictates your breathing during sleep, and your sleep quality.
Here are a few short video gems from a talk I did last year:
Check out the full recording of the Sleep Matters talk below that I gave at the Ashland Food Co-op (1/17/24).
I’ve put in chapters for ease of getting to parts of the discussion – just scroll the bar and see the titles (listed below).
- To Start – Why is Sleep Important to you?
- Breathing & Sleep Matter
- Regulating States, Brain Excitability, Oxygen
- Healthy Sleep, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Apnea
- What Happens in the Day determines the Night
- Sleep Cycles & Sleep Disorder Breathing
- The Witching Hours – 0300…..
- Palpating HRV – Pulse w/Breathing
- Vata time – The Breath & Broncho-constriction
- Short Breath Holds Exercise
- Lengthening the Exhale is Golden
- Rating your Sleep: Subjective and Objective Measures – How to take your BOLT Score
- Sleep Rescue Remedies – Waking up vs. Getting to Sleep
- Sleep Hygiene – Internal Practices
- Nasal Health & Mouth Taping
- The Importance of the Diaphragm
(password required for full talk – given if you attended the class in-person or online; feel free to contact me and ask for access)
Was this talk helpful (live or the recording)?
Want to find out how your breathing is impacting your sleep?
Please contact me about a screening to determine best avenues for you to cultivate better rest.
Articles of Support
- Importance of Nasal Breathing in health
- The volume of each breath to employ healthy breathing.
- The importance of the Diaphragm – function
- The importance of the Diaphragm – about pressure & ease to breathe
Train your sleep before you need it, like getting out there in wilderness or altitude for periods of time.
Recommended Support for Determining Sleep Performance
- Measuring Sleep at Home
- Wearable – most reliable (from Athletic Sleep Lab) is Garmin
- App – best recordable for the things I look for, besides a number is SleepCycle
- B.O.L.T. score
- Filter in Room – HEPA for molds and other allergens
- Bathing (Shower or Soak) before bed is best – no cold (will heat you up; hot will force the body to cool)
- Before getting into bed
- Dump the tension accumulated in the day
- a short ritual to remove the negative impacts (spiritually)
- Breathing practices to aid into deep sleep cycle more easily
- Nasal Breathing supportive devices
- night nasal dilator
- Myotape (mouth tape that IS NOT over lips)
Want to explore more about Sleep Quality & Recovery? I created a map diagram of key topics you can explore in the small circles for more in-depth insights on my website, as well as links to experts I know and trust on the topic. Ch