Sleep is essential for our general health and wellbeing - that said, it's often easier said than done getting the right amount, especially if you're stressed or busy. Case in point: new data from Headspace found that nearly half of UK adults struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Feeling too stressed was up there as the top cause for a bad night's sleep, which is where moon breathing comes in.
The trending technique joins the likes of the 4-7-8 method in promising to help you get the best night's sleep. Wondering what it actually entails? The term, recently described in Sarah Harvey's book Kaizen: The Japanese Method for Transforming Habits, One Small Step at a Time, is a Japanese alternate nostril breathing technique often used in yoga practices.
Spoiler alert: it's an incredibly simple and free relaxation technique which you can do yourself at home or from bed, or so shares yoga teacher Libby Stevenson.
Keen to read more about the technique? Below, she's shared simple-to-follow step-by-step instructions on how to try moon breathing and the main benefits you'll experience. Similarly, one woman shares her own experience with moon breathing and details how much it's improved her sleep quality. Keep scrolling.
Moon breathing is trending - how it will boost your shut eye
What is moon breathing?
Otherwise known as alternate nostril breathing, the technique involves holding a nostril shut while breathing in and out through the other. With moon breathing, the idea is to hold your right nostril closed and breathe in and out only from the left. Wondering why? Well, the thinking is that this side can calm the parasympathetic nervous system (otherwise known as your "rest and digest" response).
It's slightly different to alternate nostril breathing, explains Stevenson, because of the breathing technique you use. "There is inhaling and exhaling through both nostrils and we do so one nostril at a time," she says.
Although there's a slight difference between this and the way moon breathing is performed, the benefits will be very similar, explains Stevenson. In other words, they both are suitable before bedtime and help to calm and relax.
Who is moon breathing suitable for?
While the breathing technique is suitable for all, it's not recommended for anyone suffering from a congested nose, Stephenson warns.
"When doing this breathing technique, there's a lot to think about in terms of closing nostrils and exhaling to inhale which helps to focus a busy mind," explains Stevenson. This, she goes on, is what makes it so powerful and effective. "It's very calming because the slow exhalation switches on the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby reducing stress and anxiety."
Stevenson calls this breathing technique "a natural tranquilliser" as she claims that it will leave both your body and mind feeling rested. Sounds pretty ideal for just before bed, right?
@heidi__woods ♬ memories - leadwave
How do I try moon breathing?
- Sit with your spine upright and your shoulders back and down.
- Bring your index and middle fingers of your right hand to touch the base of your thumb, with your ring and pinky fingers working together. Keep your thumb, ring and pinky elevated and close to each other but not touching. You'll be using your thumb to close your right nostril and your ring/pinky fingers to close your left nostril.
- Bring your right hand close to your nose, keeping your elbow down. Then, take a deep breath in through both nostrils.
- Using your thumb, close your right nostril.
- Then, exhale through your left nostril and inhale through your left nostril.
- Then, using your ring/pinky fingers, close your left nostril.
- Exhale through the right nostril and inhale through your right nostril.
- Using your thumb, close your right nostril. Exhale through your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril.
- Continue alternating your nostrils for up to three minutes
- Make your final exhalation through the right nostril to balance out that we started exhaling through the left nostril.
Try this: Stephenson advises keeping your head still throughout and your eyes closed while breathing to enhance your practice.
@sattsolwellness ♬ original sound - Liam Miller
"I struggle with feeling revved up before sleep and 'moon breathing' helped calm my mind"
Tori Porter, 28, is a fitness and wellness PR from London who sometimes struggles to wind down before bed. She gave moon breathing a go and found it an effective way to calm a busy mind.
"I struggle with feeling quite revved up before sleep sometimes. I sometimes feel like when I'm still on a hamster wheel from the day and need to slow down."
"I've tried moon breathing before bed and found it to be quite relaxing. For me, the most relaxing part was having to concentrate on the task at hand. You have to focus on counting and then breathing out of one nostril while blocking the other."
"This makes you concentrate only on what you're doing. I think having this focus helped to calm an otherwise distracted mind. It's similar in that respect to doing other breathing techniques, such as box breathing."
Shop MC UK's go-to sleep aids now:
Get into the mood for a sweet night of slumber by spritzing this beautifully calming pillow mist before bed. Combining lavender, spearmint, geranium and sage, this spray by a luxury Scottish brand based on the Isle of Arran promises to create a soothing environment in which to try your favourite sleep-breathing technique.
