exhale+unwind · Sleep
Can't Sleep? Try These 3 Breathing Exercises
It's late, you're wired, and the harder you try to sleep the more awake you feel. Breathing won't knock you out like a switch, but it will quiet a racing mind and nudge your body toward sleep. Try these three, in bed, lights off.
Why breathing helps you sleep
Sleep needs your nervous system in 'rest and digest' mode. A busy mind keeps you in low-grade fight-or-flight. Long, slow exhales are the fastest way to flip that switch — which is why every technique below leans on the out-breath.
1. 4-7-8 breathing
- Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold for 7 seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
- Repeat four times, then breathe normally.
2. Coherent breathing (5 and 5)
- Inhale for 5 seconds.
- Exhale for 5 seconds.
- Keep it smooth and let it get slower.
- Continue until you drift.
3. Extended exhale
The simplest of all: just make every exhale longer than the inhale. In for four, out for six or more. Let each out-breath feel like sinking a little deeper into the mattress.
A few sleep tips
- Breathe through your nose where you can.
- Don't chase sleep — aim only to relax, and sleep tends to follow.
- Keep the phone face-down; let a gentle audio or haptic cue pace you instead of the screen.
Common questions
- Is it really free?
- Yes. The core features are free, with no subscription needed.
- Does it work for panic attacks?
- Yes. Select “panic” and the fastest technique surfaces immediately.
- Do I need to create an account?
- No account needed. Open the app and breathe.
- How is this different from Calm or Headspace?
- Those are meditation platforms. This is a breathing tool — fast, specific and mood-matched. No other app does the mood-to-technique matching.
- Does it work offline?
- Fully offline. Everything runs on-device, with no loading screens.
Get the app
exhale+unwind — Breathe & Reset
Need it right now? Open the quick-start page: Breathing exercise before sleep.