Breath, Stress & Sleep
Breathing is an essential bridge between our body and mind, influencing both stress and sleep. Research in the last 20 years or so, highlights how our breathing patterns can significantly impact the nervous system, shaping our ability to manage stress and achieve restful sleep.
Matt Walker, in “Why We Sleep”, underscores the delicate balance between stress and restorative rest. Chronic stress tips the scale towards an overactive sympathetic nervous system - the body’s fight-or-flight response - which disrupts our ability to relax into deep, restorative sleep. While Walker doesn’t focus heavily on breathwork, he acknowledges the power of calming practices, including controlled breathing, to signal safety to the brain and body, setting the stage for improved sleep.
In “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers”, Robert Sapolsky explores how humans chronically activate stress responses in ways that animals typically don’t. Zebras, for instance, only engage their stress systems during immediate threats, returning to calm once the danger has passed. In contrast, humans often stay trapped in cycles of shallow, rapid breathing - a hallmark of stress - reinforcing a state of hypervigilance. Panting or rapid, shallow breaths are stress-inducing and mimic the body’s response to a threat, amplifying the fight-or-flight response. Sapolsky’s work suggests that intentional, slow breathing can help deactivate this chronic stress response, breaking the cycle and promoting relaxation.
The science aligns seamlessly with yogic practices, which have long recognised the role of breath in regulating the mind and body. Long inhalations gently activate our nervous system, preparing us for focus and alertness, while long exhalations help relax the nervous system, promoting calm and restoration.
In practical terms, mindful breathing - whether through simple practices like extending the exhale or guided techniques like Dirga Pranayama - offers a powerful tool for us. These techniques not only quiet the stress response but also prepare the mind for restful sleep. By drawing on insights from Walker and Sapolsky, we can better understand why breathwork is so effective: it rewires the nervous system, helping us navigate from stress to serenity, and from wakefulness to restorative rest.
Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling to fall asleep, remember that your breath is more than a reflex - it’s a gateway to balance and well-being
Endnote: Sleep is actually eight hours of high activity - a time when the brain and body are engaged in vital processes, from memory consolidation to cellular repair. Much more happens during sleep than we often realise.
Further Reading
The Importance of Breath : The Life-Force
The Importance of Relaxation : Release Stress & Tension
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