5-Minute Bedtime Wind-Down Exercise | Bhramarī Prāṇāyāma | Humming Bee Breath

This 5-Minute Bhramarī Prāṇāyāma, also known as Humming Bee Breath,  is one of my favorite execises to do really any time of day when I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed or stressed but it’s also a great one I do to help settle myself before sleep.

I find the humming helps to override any intrusive or busy chattering thoughts that are distracting me from sleep. Especially if I’ve been busy late when I don’t have time for a longer bedtime routine to wind down and I need to get to turn off and sleep quickly. 

Bhramarī Prāṇāyāma has been found to have:

• parasympathetic predominance which means it helps to shift your body into a rest-and-digest state. 
• it helps to reduce stress,
• improve cognition,
• reduce blood pressure and heart-rate variability
• reduce irritability in tinnitus. 

Something about the vibration created from the humming combined with the slow, deep breaths make this a unique practice.

References:

Kuppusamy M, Kamaldeen D, Pitani R, Amaldas J, Shanmugam P. Effects of Bhramari Pranayama on health - A systematic review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2017 Mar 18;8(1):11-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.02.003. PMID: 29321984; PMCID: PMC5755957.