Getting a good night's sleep is a lot like trying to assemble furniture—everything has to be just right for it to work, and if one thing goes wrong, the whole experience can collapse into a heap. One of the critical pieces in the puzzle of great sleep is something we do over 20,000 times a day: breathing.
How we breathe when we're awake and when we're asleep can be surprisingly different, and this shift can play a major role in how well-rested we feel. From snoring to serious conditions like sleep apnea, our breathing patterns can make or break our sleep cycle.
In this article, we'll discuss the link between sleep and breathing patterns—and offer some tips to help you breathe easier and sleep better.
The Science Behind Breathing Patterns During Sleep
When we sleep, we go through different stages: light sleep, deep sleep, and dream-inducing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Our breathing patterns vary in each stage, adjusting to the body's changing needs.
In light sleep, our breathing is calm and steady. During deep sleep, you notice even slower, deeper breathing. Finally, in REM sleep, when dreams get weird and wild, breathing becomes irregular. Sometimes, it's shallow, and sometimes, it speeds up, almost as if your body is running alongside your dream character in a chase scene!
Research has shown that these natural sleep and breathing patterns are vital for brain function and physical health. One study published in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology found that the variability in breathing during sleep helps regulate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body, ensuring we wake up refreshed.
But disruptions in these patterns—due to conditions like sleep apnea—can lead to fragmented sleep and leave you feeling groggier than before you went to bed.
Common Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders
Unfortunately, some common sleep-related breathing disorders can disrupt even the best of sleep routines.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airway gets blocked during sleep, often because the soft tissue in the back of your throat collapses. This results in periodic breathing interruptions—sometimes for several seconds—leaving you gasping for air.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
In CSA, the brain sometimes forgets to tell the body to breathe, leading to pauses in breathing. It's a bit like the brain is distracted during sleep, and breathing gets left on the to-do list. This condition is rarer than OSA but can also severely impact sleep quality.
Snoring and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
Snoring happens when airflow through your mouth or nose is partially blocked. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) is not full-blown apnea, but it still causes a narrowing of the airway, leading to labored breathing and fragmented sleep.
How Sleep Quality Affects Breathing
When you're sleep-deprived, your body can enter a state of stress, which affects how you breathe. It's your body's way of coping with fatigue and trying to stay alert.
According to research from Lung India, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to long-term breathing issues like irregular or shallow breathing. These irregular breathing patterns can make it harder to achieve the deep, restorative sleep your body needs to function at its best.
Poor sleep hygiene also plays a big role. If you're going to bed late, scrolling through social media, or sleeping in awkward positions, your body doesn't have the chance to reset and regulate your breathing properly.
Sleep and breathing patterns are closely linked. When your breathing becomes irregular, it can wake you up multiple times throughout the night, which then leads to more tiredness and poor-quality sleep. It's like being stuck in a vicious cycle where you're tired because of bad breathing, but you can't fix your breathing because you're too tired to try.
Tips for Improving Sleep Quality Through Better Breathing
You can actually improve your sleep by focusing on your breathing. Here are some practical, easy-to-follow tips to help you breathe better—and sleep better.
Breathing Exercises Before Bed
If you've ever caught yourself taking shallow breaths while feeling stressed, you know how your mood can affect your breathing. The good news is the reverse is also true—calming your breathing can help calm your mind.
Before bed, try some simple breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing, where you focus on deep, slow breaths from the belly. Box breathing (inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four) is another great way to slow your heart rate and get into sleep mode.
Nasal Breathing
Nasal breathing is much better for regulating airflow and maintaining oxygen levels. When you breathe through your nose, your body naturally filters and humidifies the air, making it easier to breathe smoothly through the night.
Proper Sleep Posture
Your sleep posture can make a huge difference in how well you breathe at night. Sleeping on your back can make snoring and sleep apnea worse, so try side sleeping instead. It helps keep your airway open and reduces the chances of those pesky breathing interruptions.
Managing Sleep Apnea
If you've been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you'll want to look into using a CPAP machine or other treatments that can keep your airway open during sleep. This can be a game-changer for improving your sleep and breathing patterns and helping you wake up feeling refreshed.
Monitoring Sleep and Breathing Patterns
One of the best ways to stay on top of your sleep health is to monitor your sleep and breathing patterns. For example, Pillow provides detailed insights into your sleep cycles, how often you wake up during the night, and even tracks irregularities in your breathing patterns.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, sleep is one of the most critical factors for your health, and your breathing patterns play a big part in that. Whether it's a case of sleep apnea, snoring, or just shallow breathing due to poor sleep posture, it's clear that how you breathe while you sleep can make or break your rest.
