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Evening wind-down

Breathing exercises for sleep

For bedtime, start with hold-free or easy longer-exhale rhythms. The aim is not to force sleep, but to give the evening a quieter shape.

Start the gentle timerView the practice

How to use this page

  1. 1Begin with the hold-free timer if your mind or body already feels tired.
  2. 2Keep the session short and easy; you can always stop before the preset ends.
  3. 3If 4-7-8 feels strained, choose Extended Exhale or Belly Breathing instead.

Suggested practices

These are not prescriptions. They are calm starting points chosen from Breath Tempo’s existing exercise library.

Gentle

Extended Exhale

2-5 min

A gentle, hold-free pattern that gives the exhale more room.

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Moderate

4-7-8 Breathing

1-3 min

A longer exhale pattern often used before sleep.

View practice

Gentle

Belly Breathing

2-5 min

A gentle beginner practice for noticing the belly rise and fall with each breath.

View practice
Read next

Short notes for this goal

Breathing before sleep: how to build a gentle night routine

How to place a short breathing practice inside a realistic evening routine without making sleep another performance goal.

Read note

If 4-7-8 feels too hard, try this softer version

How to preserve a longer-exhale shape while reducing or removing the demanding breath hold.

Read note

Breathing when your mind is racing at night

How to use a simple breath anchor without arguing with thoughts or demanding that the mind become empty.

Read note

Keep the practice comfortable

Breathing practice should feel steady and optional. Stop if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, anxious, numb, or unusually uncomfortable.

Read safety notes

Other goal guides

Sleep

Gentle rhythms for a softer evening routine.

Stress

Soft practices for a tense or busy moment.

Focus

Steady rhythms for attention and work transitions.

Beginner

A low-pressure path for your first sessions.