Mindful breathing is to reduce distractions in the brain and relieve anxiety by paying attention to breathing, so as to make the heart clean, relax and promote sleep.

First, sitting posture

Cross-legged sitting: there are two cross-legged ways (feet on the opposite thigh), single flat (one foot on the opposite thigh and the other foot under the opposite thigh), and scattered flat (legs crossed, neither foot on the thigh). Any cross-legged way is acceptable. Legs and feet need clothes to keep warm. A 6-8 cm thick hard pad is placed under the buttocks. Don't sit too soft. If you really can't sit cross-legged, you can also sit in a chair, but you should avoid falling down when you are sleepy. Sit in the first third of the chair, don't lean against the back of the chair, your legs naturally droop, your feet are shoulder-width apart and flat on the ground;

Put your hands on top of each other (right hand is recommended), palms facing up and thumbs facing each other, and put them in Dantian ("Dantian" is a common saying in China, located at the four horizontal fingers below the navel);

Keep your body upright;

Put your shoulders flat and relax;

The tip of the tongue gently touches the upper jaw (behind the upper root) and the lips are gently closed;

Eyes slightly closed or completely closed, look at the direction of the tip of the nose;

Keep your head and neck straight and your chin slightly lower.

Breathe through your nose, not your mouth;

Abdominal breathing (abdominal ups and downs when breathing), let the airflow sink as much as possible (air sinks into the abdomen);

Breathe as slowly as possible;

The mind is focused on breathing. For insomnia patients, it is suggested that the mind should focus on the ups and downs of the lower abdomen when breathing, so as to promote the "intersection of heart and kidney" and improve sleep. When you are absent-minded, gently pull your thoughts back with your breath, and don't blame yourself, because finding yourself absent-minded is progress;

Keep a smile on your face and try to be happy inside;

If you see, hear and feel some abnormal phenomena in practice, don't pay attention to them and tell yourself that these abnormal phenomena are illusory. Remember, the most important task of mindfulness breathing practice is to focus on breathing;

At the end of the exercise, rub your hands over your eyes with your palms and pat your legs and feet to relieve the pain and numbness caused by cross-legged. Stand up after the pain and numbness in legs and feet are relieved or disappeared. Stand up slowly, avoid dizziness caused by sudden change of posture, and beware of falling.

As long as the environment is quiet, you can do mindfulness breathing exercises at any time;

It is best to practice mindfulness breathing for 45 to 60 minutes at a time. In the early stage of cross-legged, because of leg and foot pain, numbness and other reasons, you can gradually increase the time of mindfulness breathing practice;

For insomniacs, mindfulness breathing exercise for 30~45 minutes before going to bed is conducive to physical and mental relaxation, thus promoting sleep. If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes after going to bed, or if you can't fall asleep again within 20 minutes after waking up, you can leave the bed and practice mindfulness breathing for 30 to 45 minutes, then go to bed again and try to fall asleep. If you still can't sleep, you can continue to practice mindfulness breathing and so on.