Cure Insomnia: Breath as a Sleep Solution

IS THE WAY YOU BREATHE CAUSING INSOMNIA?

Are you having trouble sleeping? Is it possible to cure insomnia with breath? Can I cure chronic insomnia with breath? The answer is yes. The way you breathe matters, and research suggests that if you are poor breather or a mouth breather, it may even be keeping you up at night and stealing your sleep.

It’s estimated that 30-50 percent of adults breathe through their mouths, which has wide ranging consequences for the mental and physical health (and future) of our species. Lack of sleep can cause severe mental health conditions and mental disorders. The ramifications of mouth breathing and not having a good night’s sleep include everything from chronic stress and depleted immune function to insomnia and sleep deprivation, the last of which are directly linked to a long list of deleterious health complications

The most obvious undesirable sleep-related consequence of mouth breathing is mental and physiological hyper-stimulation, which is responsible for the majority of sleep disorders. 

Mouth breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system, commonly known as the fight-or-flight response. When you feel tired-but-wired, alert and primed for survival it is difficult or even near impossible to sleep, and any sleep you do manage is not restorative. This cycles around and into itself again, causing further sleeping problems, even more anxiety and chronic stress.

PUT AN END TO YOUR CHRONIC INSOMNIA AND SLEEP PROBLEMS

Less obvious perhaps are the long-term effects of mouth breathing on the structure of the airways, which includes damage, trauma, and excessive mucous production, all of which can cause sleep issues. It can all start with short therm insomnia, but as the time goes by, the body takes the toll. Add structural narrowing of the passages and sinuses through which we are designed to breathe, which further ‘feeds the fire’ and can result in serious breathing related sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea, having trouble falling asleep, poor sleep quality and mental health disorder. 

Mouth breathing causes poor oxygenation to the body and brain, lowers resilience and increases stress and reactivity through mental and physiological hyper-stimulation (as previously mentioned) and sleep deprivation.

When it causes sleep deprivation or other sleep disorders, this leads to burn out, depression, sleep apnea, brain fog and anxiety, and can cause heart diseases such as stroke and hypertension, ADHD, chronic fatigue, restless leg syndrome, weight gain and obesity, Alzheimer’s, eczema, and premature ageing. Add early death and lower IQ to the list, and you have a veritable smorgasbord of unwanted repercussions that you may not have even been aware of.

SOME DATA ON CHRONIC INSOMNIA AND TROUBLE SLEEPING

We breathe 20,000 times a day, yet for the majority it’s something we are barely conscious of. When breathing is so fundamental to health, and so many of us are experiencing physical health problems like insomnia and burn out, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression which have been directly linked to poor breathing, it really begs the questions:

  • Why aren’t we taught more about the importance of breathing properly?
  • Why don’t we know more about good sleep habits (how to fall asleep, how to stay asleep, how for treating insomnia) and how much sleep we need?
  • Why are don’t we see the link between breathing and breathing related dis-eases being highlighted in the public domain? 
  • Why is functional breathing rarely consulted upon or considered by allopathic doctors? 
  • Has your GP ever investigated links between your health issues and dysfunctional breathing?

IT’S CURIOUS, ISN’T IT…? 

To me, it really highlights a fundamental need to lift the benchmark on the knowledge and understanding that we have, and the education and resources that are offered around functional breathing and good sleeping habits to get great quality sleep. The world needs more skilled breathwork instructors and breathwork advocates who can inspire and empower much needed, life-changing paradigm shifts. 

In that vein, let’s look at the link between insomnia and breathing and explore why breathwork training and a developing a regular breathwork practice can become a part of your solution and sleep medicine for chronic insomnia and other sleep (and health) problems.

WHY CAN’T I SLEEP? 

It’s a question you may be asking if you have insomnia, and one that’s relevant to more than half of the adult Australian population who regularly experience at least one sleep symptom like trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. 

36 percent of us are sleep-deprived and catching six hours or less per night, 38 percent rate their sleep as poor, and 14.8 percent have symptoms which could result in a diagnosis of clinicalinsomnia. So, it’s very obvious that we’re a nation that could do with a bit more sleep, and better quality to boot – and if you are having problems sleeping, you are definitely not alone. 

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?

Insomnia is defined as a sleep disorder in which people are unable to fall asleep or stay asleep and can include the following, which may be experienced independently or together:

  • difficulty getting to sleep
  • interrupted sleep cycle
  • poor sleep quality
  • waking up during the night and having trouble going back to sleep
  • waking up too early

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF CHRONIC INSOMNIA?

Adults need 8-9 hours of quality sleep per night, without waking up more than twice in that time. Most adults, once they wake up have trouble falling asleep again. When you get less than you need it affects every system in your body and can leave you feeling sleepy, tired, irritable, moody, anxious, stressed, foggy, depressed, unmotivated, and unable to concentrate or perform your tasks and responsibilities throughout the day. 

Inadequate sleep is dangerous for both your physical and emotional health. Your body heals, detoxifies and repairs as you sleep and if you don’t have enough proper rest, it can increase your risk for depressionobesity, heart disease including hypertension and stroke, and diabetes. Add to that premature ageing and early death as mentioned earlier.

Sleep deprivation can also worsen anxiety, spurring a negative cycle involving insomnia and anxiety disorders. A state of mental hyperarousal, frequently marked by worry, has been identified as a key factor behind insomnia. People with anxiety disorders are inclined to have higher sleep reactivity,  which means they are much more likely to have sleeping problems when facing stress. 

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO INSOMNIA AND SLEEP DISORDERS? 

Unhealthy sleep habits, breathing problems, mental and medical conditions, specific substances, and certain biological factors can cause insomnia. 

Here’s the list of the causes of insomnia:

  • a state of mental and physiological hyperarousal 
  • breathing problems and poor breathing habits
  • poor sleep habits (sleep hygiene)
  • substances including caffeinenicotinealcoholamphetamines and some prescription medicines
  • stress, caused by work or financial problemsrelationship issues or grief
  • medical issues, in particular conditions causing pain, hormone changes (hot flushes and night sweats during menopause), and urinary or digestive problems
  • mental health problems — insomnia can be a symptom of anxiety, depression or other disorders (and it’s a bi-directional relationship)
  • sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnoea, circadian rhythm disorders caused by irregular sleep patterns, restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement
  • life stage — elderly people are more likely to have insomnia
  • shift work — people who work different shifts often do not sleep as well as those who work set hours during the day

It’s notable that at least half of these factors can be positively influenced, or in some cases completely mitigated, though breathwork practices that include changing from mouth to nose breathing, and sleep hygiene/lifestyle hacks (LINK TO NEXT ARTICLE HERE).

YOUR BREATHING HABITS COULD BE CAUSING INSOMNIA – HOW DO WE CURE INSOMNIA WITH BREATH?

According to a 2012 study, the vast majority of patients seeking treatment for insomnia have some kind of sleep breathing problems. In that study, published online in the journal Sleep & Breathing, researchers conducted a chart review of 1,035 patients and found that 81 percent had breathing issues. 

The study’s lead author, Barry Krakow, medical director of Maimonides Sleep Arts and Sciences in Albuquerque, designed a subsequent study to better understand insomniacs who did not have obvious breathing issues.

When the participants spent one night in a sleep research facility, the findings were illuminating. Researchers recorded a combined total of 531 awakenings amongst the study group and found that 478 of them followed a “breathing event” such as an episode of apnoea or laboured breathing. 

HOW TO FALL ASLEEP

Thirty of these lasted at least five minutes, and all of these were preceded by a breathing event. These findings that were published in the journal Sleep, reveal that breathing issues are the cause for even more middle-of-the-night awakenings than previously appreciated.

sleep survey of 1,001 American adults found that more than 60% habitually breathe through their mouth while sleeping and mouth breathing disrupted their sleep more than anything except stress. The most common signs of mouth breathing reported were being awoken by night-time nasal congestion (75 percent) waking up with a dry mouth (61 percent) and snoring (37 percent). 

Mouth breathing disrupted sleep more than anything except stress.”

The survey revealed that mouth breathing impacted the quality of sleep (64 percent) nearly as much as stress (69 percent) the most common sleep deterrent. Further, mouth breathing impacted sleep more than a partner’s snoring (53 percent), noise (52 peecent) and an irregular going to bed time (51 percent).

CONSEQUENCES OF MOUTH BREATHING AND SLEEP DISORDER

As already highlighted, Mouth breathing can lead to a number of sleep disorders, including snoring, obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. This is one of the biggest causes of insomnia. The good news is that with breath we can treat insomnia immediately and in a very effective – and free – way. Other manifestations of mouth breathing include:

  • chronic allergies
  • hay fever
  • chronic or recurring sinus infections
  • asthma
  • chronic stress and anxiety disorder
  • poor sleep habits and sleep patterns
  • sub optimal sleep wake cycle and sleep difficulties, sleep disorder
  • difficulty falling asleep, difficulty sleeping
  • poor mental health conditions

In children, mouth breathing can lead to physical abnormalities and cognitive challenges. Children who aren’t treated for mouth breathing can develop:

  • long, narrow faces
  • narrow mouths
  • gummy smiles
  • dental malocclusion, including a large overbite and crowded teeth
  • poor posture

These changes are passed down through the generations, so what you do now to improve your breathing habits, and change your physical and genetic expression will conversely benefit future generations.

HOW MOUTH BREATHING STEALS YOUR SLEEP AND CAUSES INSOMNIA

SLOWER TRANSITION 

Having trouble falling asleep? Having trouble staying asleep? Breathing through your mouth, especially during the first 20 minutes of light sleep, can slow your transition into deep restorative sleep and sleep problems that is vital to healing and restoring your body and mind.

TOO STRESSED TO SLEEP 

Mouth breathing stimulates your body’s stress response and interferes with your sleep cycle. When in this hyper-aroused state, it is difficult to sleep because your body and mind are too stimulated to welcome rest.

WAKING UP FOR THE BATHROOM 

Mouth breathing causes disturbances to your body’s chemistry resulting in the need to urinate frequently during the night and stands in the way to your sleep medicine. One study showed that 69% of men and 76% of women over 40  get up to go to the bathroom at least once per night.

WAKING DUE TO THIRST 

Breathing through your mouth can dry out your mouth and throat, which may cause you to wake during the night due to thirst, to drink water, interrupting your sleep wake cycle and getting in the way of you getting your sleep medicine. Not only that, but mouth breathing can cause bad breath and detrimental changes to the structure of your mouth and sinuses.

Many medications also cause dry mouth (known as xerostomia) resulting from reduced or absent saliva flow. Keeping the mouth closed all night can greatly reduce the incidence of dry mouth and sleep disturbance, combating sleep apnea and insomnia symptoms.

WAKING UP CONGESTED

Your sinuses need constant ventilation to stay healthy, uncongested and pain free. Breathing through your mouth during sleep shuts down the flow of air through your sinuses causing mucus to build up and block your sinus cavities. The result is sinus pressure and a stuffy nose in the morning, and potential snoring during the night, all of which spirals into further mouth breathing, sinus issues and sleeping problems.

Blocked and obstructed sinuses can lead to sleep apnoea, snoring, bad breath, and sinus infections, which further affect your ability to sleep.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA

Mouth breathing causes changes in the airways that cause the throat to collapse so much that not enough air gets into the lungs and can disrupt sleep health. This causes you to stop breathing until your brain notices and sends you a wake-up call. The brain briefly arouses itself from sleep to get the throat muscles working again to allow air into the lungs. This process can repeat hundreds of times every night, causing you to have a very broken sleep.

NARROWER AIRWAYS

Mouth breathing can lead to narrower, traumatised, and congested airways and long-term increased mucus production as you will need to breathe harder and faster to get the oxygen you require. When breathing faster you are stimulating your stress response, otherwise known as fight or flight, as mentioned above. 

MISSING OUT ON NITRC OXIDE

Mouth breathing also means you miss out on Nitric Oxide (N.O.) which is produced in the paranasal sinuses as a result of nose breathing. N.O. dilates the bronchial passages and airways, helping to keep them clear and functioning. N.O. is also a vasodilator meaning that it has a calming effect on the heart and blood pressure, helping you to sleep. 

INFOGRAPHIC HERE JOHANNES – NOSE BREATHING CREATES NO2 (CALMING) VS MOUTH BREATHING CREATES CORTISOL (STRESS)

THE BENEFITS OF NOSE BREATHING AND A REGULAR BREATHWORK PRACTICE

  • Regular breathwork practices will focus mostly on functional nose breathing and help increase breathing capacity, correct dysfunctional and mouth breathing and can be a part of a bedtime ritual to help train your brain to be ready for sleep. 
  • Nose breathing combats stress and helps to calm the mind. That’s why nostril breathing is such a huge element of a yoga practice. 
  • When you breathe through your nose it encourages deeper, slower breathing using the diaphragm, which will put you into a parasympathetic state, slowing you down and helping you to relax ready for sleep. 
  • Nose breathing produces nasal nitric oxide, which has proven anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-pathogen and anti-allergen qualities. It has even been found to prevent the replication of the SARS coronavirus. Nitric oxide works as a toxic defense molecule that protects you from infectious organisms and reduces inflammation. It helps to boost your immune system by reducing the risk of infection. It also works to relax the inner muscles of our blood vessels, allowing them to widen and increase circulation.
  • Nose breathing more effectively drives oxygen into the blood-rich lower lobe alveoli, which not only support healthy oxygenation of the blood, but more importantly, support a significantly greater exchange of toxins and waste out of those more vascularized lower lobes. Sleep is more restorative, sleeping difficulties will start to disappear.
  • Nose breathing at night, helps calm the body while removing fat-soluble toxins, thus helping with detoxification, and helping you to maintain a healthy body weight and a better mental health condition as you start getting enough sleep.

THE WRAP UP: Sleep Aids

Although breathing through your mouth may seem harmless, it increases stress and really messes with your ability to get the restorative night’s sleep that your body requires. Sleep deprivation causes a host of health problems not limited to mental health issues, sleep apnea, sleep wake disorders, daytime sleepiness, premature ageing, health risk factors and early death so it’s worth prioritising if you want to live a long and healthy life.

If you are a mouth breather, it’s in your best interest to switch to nose breathing as soon as you can and tackle anything that might stand in the way of your sleep routine. Take it slowly if breathing through your nose is difficult due to obstruction, use online breathwork resources, attend a breathwork training course or work with a qualified Breathless breathwork instructor. Check out this article on How to Change To Nose Breathing.

Access this Breathwork Masterclass and live breathwork training events and resources, like the FREE 21 Day Master Your Breath Program. Learn about lifestyle hacks with Sleep Hygiene, What is it and How to Practice. 

Here’s a simple breathwork practice that I created to help you wind down in the evening and prepare for sleep 3-Step Breathwork Practice for Sleep.

Anya is a yoga & IRest meditation teacher, breathwork instructor, divemaster and writer, ocean lover and solo adventurer.

She thrives on change and transformation, and spends part of her year working and living in the Amazon with indigenous doctors, learning about their system of healing, and helping to facilitate transformational retreats.

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