I Tried The ‘Bee Hum’ Method For Better Sleep

This year, I’ll be trying sleeping tricks to see whether they actually improve my insomnia. Check back in on this series, Rest Assured, to see how I get on.

So far this year, I’ve taken vitamin D, read in bed, sipped on passionflower tea, and eaten kiwis in hopes of managing my sleep maintenance insomnia.

The condition means that while I fall asleep just fine, I struggle to stay asleep once I’ve nodded off: 3am wakeups are all too common.

At this point, I’ll try anything to prevent my morning grogginess. And apparently, that includes humming like a bee, a method suggested to me by Ailsa Frank, a sleep expert working with Post Office Life Insurance.

I was sceptical when I first heard the advice. But some research has shown that “bumblebee breathing,” a yoga technique also known as bhramari pranayama, really can help you nod off.

A 2025 paper said it improved sleep initiation, continuity (the part I’m worried about), and depth (hey, that doesn’t hurt either). It may also reduce the impact of sleep disturbances.

“It’s a gentle humming exhale that soothes the parasympathetic nervous system by easing tension and, in turn, improves sleep quality,” Frank shared.

At this point, I reasoned, why not?

• Cover your ears with your thumbs,
• Close your eyes with your first three fingers,
• Breathe in deeply through your nose,
• Make a bee-like “humming” sound as you exhale, keeping your lips pursed,
• Repeat up to 10 times.

As I’ve said, I was a little sceptical at first. But the facts are the facts: I had one fewer 3am wakeup than is usual for me in the work week I tried the method, and my sleep quality was generally pretty great.

Also, I was amazed by how comforting I found the technique.

Experts have long recommended breathing techniques, like the “finger breathing” and “4-7-8″ method, to lower our heartbeats and relax our nervous systems.

This seemed to be no different. And, as the authors of the paper about the “bumblebee breath” method said, it’s non-invasive and completely free.