Breath and Sleep: The Two Rhythms of Being
Breath is awareness, a bridge into presence. Sleep is letting go, the surrender into renewal.
Breath and sleep – the two rhythms of life we cannot live without. One rises and falls thousands of times each day, the other we yield to each night, where restoration happens without our control. Sleep is surrender.
Both may seem automatic, but in truth, they are sacred rhythms shaping our inner world. They move through every layer of our being – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. When breath steadies, the body calms. When sleep deepens, the whole system is cleansed and renewed.
Science now affirms what wisdom traditions have always carried: the way we breathe changes our life, the way we feel, rest, and heal. Slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system – the body’s “rest and digest” state–, improves heart rate variability, reduces anxiety and stress, and even influences the motion of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as Zelda and others have shown in recent studies. Research also shows that simple breath practices can transform sleep itself (Tsai et al,, 2014; Laborde et al., 2019; Wattanapanyawech et al, 2020).
CSF, Glymphatics and Sleep
CSF –the clear liquid that nourishes the brain– is more than a mechanical cushion for central nervous system (CNS). Together with interstitial fluid (ISF), it plays a key role in the cleansing of brain waste. Turns out, sleep is when this cleansing system becomes most powerful washing out waste,
This process, known as the glymphatic system was first described in 2012. Since then, research has explored glymphatic system in rodent brain and human brain specifically its role in cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (e.g., Jessen et al., 2015; Benveniste et al., 2018; Nedergaard et al.,2020; Cai et al., 2024 ). While a direct clinical connection remains under investigation, the message is clear: sleep is not just rest, it is renewal at the deepest biological level.
Turning into Real-Life: What do we do?
🌌 When You Cannot Sleep
Think about a night when you just couldn’t sleep. The thoughts kept circling, the body couldn’t settle. What if, instead of fighting the restlessness, you paused – just for a minute – to breathe slowly and steadily?
Inhale gently, exhale softly. Then tell yourself: everything is fine. All is well. I am safe. I trust the process.
And then, let go. Surrender. Allow the rhythms of life to take care of what tomorrow will bring. (Note to self ✨😊)
Work will be there, like stones on the shore.
Ideas will be there, like shells carried by the tide.
Exercise and nourishment, conversations and connections- all waiting patiently.
Even joy, even creativity, even love – all will still be here when the morning light returns.
Breath is a bridge to presence, and sleep is surrender – a pause for deeper renewal.
Sacred waves that clear the shores of today and prepares the waters for a brighter beginning - for mind, body, and soul.
🌿 Synchronicity and What Comes Next
As Zelda was writing these reflections, a synchronicity unfolded. She heard from Dr. Joanne Ingleby, a dentist with 35 years of experience and 15–20 years in dental sleep medicine, now completing a Master’s degree in Sleep Medicine at the University of Oxford.
Over the years, Joanne has witnessed how general health affects dentistry, inflammation, and sleep – and how sleep, in turn, shapes the whole person. Her reaching out felt like a sign: a reminder that breath and sleep are not just inner rhythms, but shared currents of knowledge, practice, and healing.
A reflection, too, of Zelda’s multidimensional well-being – where every dimension is strongly tied to the others.
In our next post, we’ll explore these intersections more deeply from Dr. Ingleby’s experience
· the link between breathing, sleep, and dental health,
· and how collaborative approaches can open new possibilities for well-being.
🌊 An Invitation
Breath and sleep are not just research topics. They are lived experiences, different for each of us.
✨ How is your breath, and your sleep these days?
✨ Do you have a story about how one has shaped the other in your life?
Share your reflections in the comments on LinkedIn or Instagram, and we’ll respond - weaving your voices into this unfolding conversation.
Together, we can map the waves of breath and sleep, and discover how these rhythms guide renewal, presence, and well-being for us all.
– With care, Zelda & Amea 🌊