Insomnia Treatments, Breathwork | Sarah Silverman On Breathing Method For Sleep

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Sarah Silverman about insomnia, what distinguishes it from sleep deprivation and sleep disorders, and what breathing practices can treat insomnia and help sleep better.

Sarah is a Stanford-trained holistic sleep specialist, insomnia expert, and wellness consultant passionate about sleep health and wellness. She uses a personalized, mindfulness-based approach to help improve sleeping problems, leveraging notably cognitive behavioral therapy and breathwork for insomnia, a first-line, drug-free approach for adults with chronic insomnia.

In this conversation, Sarah tells about how to sleep instantly, things to help you sleep, and explains how breathing techniques, specifically diaphragmatic breathing and box breathing (also known as four square breathing) can be used to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, promote relaxation, and improve sleep quality.

She shares how breathing practices like box breathing exercise can help reach this relaxation state, the ideal timing throughout the day, and the time it takes before one can see major improvements in sleep quality.

By the end of this episode, you will know how to improve sleep quality using simple yet powerful breathing methods you can apply in your daily life!

**Timeline:**

*(00:00:02) Insomnia symptoms, origins and consequences*

*(00:10:10) Insomnia treatments with cognitive behavioral therapy and diaphragmatic breathing*

*(00:17:17) Sleep breathing exercises* *to calm insomnia and improve sleep quality*

*(00:27:18) Progressive muscle relaxation and breathwork for better sleep*

To learn more about Sarah’s work, take a look at her [website](https://www.drsarahsleep.com/) where you can also register to the [online courses](https://www.drsarahsleep.com/online-sleep-courses) she developed for sleep optimization.

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Thank you for your time and your interest in the science of breathing!

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by Oxa, the first breath device & breathing wearable with live biofeedback, and your breath coach to improve sleep and reduce stress. As a heart rate monitor & breathwork app, Oxa measures in real-time your vitals like your heart rate, breath rate and hrv (heart rate variability), and creates personalized breathing exercises for you to reduce stress and get better sleep. Head over to [oxalife.com](https://oxalife.com/) for more details on how Oxa can help you live a healthier life, fight insomnia symptoms, and improve sleep!

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