Relaxation Techniques Worth Adding to Your Pre-Sleep Toolkit

Also called belly breathing or deep breathing, diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the branch responsible for the body's rest-and-digest state. Unlike shallow chest breathing, which can sustain physiological tension, slow, deep breaths drawn into the lower lungs send calming signals to the brain.

A commonly used pattern involves inhaling slowly through the nose for four counts, pausing briefly, then exhaling through the mouth for six to eight counts. The extended exhale is thought to be particularly effective at slowing heart rate. Even five minutes of deliberate practice before bed can shift your body's arousal baseline downward.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a structured technique developed in the early twentieth century that involves systematically tensing and then releasing muscle groups throughout the body. The deliberate contrast between tension and release helps people recognize — and let go of — physical stress they may not have noticed they were holding.

A typical PMR sequence moves from the feet upward through the legs, abdomen, hands, arms, shoulders, and face. Each muscle group is tensed for roughly five seconds, then relaxed for twenty to thirty seconds. Studies examining PMR in the context of insomnia suggest it can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve subjective sleep quality over consistent practice.

Guided imagery involves deliberately directing your attention to a calming mental scene — a quiet beach, a forest path, a familiar room that feels safe. By occupying the mind with sensory-rich, peaceful content, this technique competes with ruminative or anxious thought patterns that often emerge at bedtime.

Research on imagery in sleep contexts is more limited than for PMR or breathing techniques, but some studies suggest it can be a useful complement, particularly for people whose sleep difficulties are primarily cognitive (an overactive mind) rather than somatic. Audio-guided versions are widely available through public health resources and library platforms, making this an accessible starting point.

The body scan is a mindfulness-based practice that involves slowly moving attention through different areas of the body, observing physical sensations without judgment. Unlike PMR, it doesn't involve deliberate tensing — instead, it cultivates a non-reactive awareness that can reduce the mental reactivity associated with difficulty sleeping.

Body scan practice is a core component of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a structured program with a meaningful body of research behind it. Even shorter, informal versions — five to ten minutes lying in bed — can help interrupt the cycle of anxious thinking that delays sleep onset. For context on how mindfulness fits into the broader landscape of sleep science, our Mind & Sleep end-to-end guide offers additional depth.

Unfinished mental tasks — unresolved worries, tomorrow's obligations, lingering emotional processing — are a common source of pre-sleep rumination. Journaling creates an external record of those thoughts, effectively signaling to the brain that they have been acknowledged and don't need to be held in active memory.

A small but notable study published in the journal Experimental Brain Research found that writing a specific to-do list for the following day — rather than reflecting on completed tasks — was associated with faster sleep onset. Gratitude journaling is another format with some supporting evidence for mood regulation, which can indirectly benefit sleep. Keep the practice brief: five to ten minutes is typically sufficient, and it pairs well with the nuanced realities of sleep science rather than rigid rules.

Light physical movement focused on releasing muscular tension — rather than elevating heart rate — can serve as an effective transition ritual between the activity of the day and the stillness of sleep. Restorative yoga postures, in particular, are held for longer durations and supported by props or the floor, encouraging the nervous system to settle.

It's worth distinguishing this from vigorous exercise, which, when performed close to bedtime, may delay sleep onset for some individuals by raising core body temperature and cortisol levels. Gentle stretching or slow-flow movement is the appropriate pre-sleep application. Even five minutes of deliberate, slow movement can serve as a meaningful physical signal that the day is ending.