Learn more about the 4-7-8 breathing technique to help you fall asleep easier

Andrew Weil, Professor of Medicine and Public Health, Founder and Director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona (USA), developed the 4-7-8 breathing technique to help people fall asleep more easily.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique can be done anywhere, anytime whether you are lying in bed or about to attend a stressful meeting.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique can help people fall asleep more easily.

How to perform the 4-7-8 breathing technique is very simple:

Step 1: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.

Step 2: Hold your breath for 7 seconds.

Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth from the 8th second.

Suzanne Bergmann, a psychotherapist based in New York City, explains that holding your breath for a long time is to slow down your breathing, ensuring that your exhalation and inhalation are completed as best as possible. Exhaling slowly through your mouth will empty your lungs more than a natural exhalation, and your body will also absorb more oxygen during the next inhalation. With practice, we can increase the speed of counting.

This technique has many benefits for the respiratory process as well as for mental health, helping us to fall asleep faster.

Eliminate unwanted thoughts

A common problem is that thoughts run around in our heads, making it difficult to fall asleep.

However, the mind cannot focus on two things at the same time. When doing the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, we need to count the number of seconds we inhale, the number of seconds we hold our breath, and the number of seconds we exhale. So, conscious breathing will eliminate unwanted thoughts in the mind.

Improve respiratory condition

When you consciously breathe deeply, as in the 4-7-8 breathing technique, your diaphragm is fully activated, improving your breathing instead of breathing too fast or too shallowly. This muscle is located just below your lungs and is responsible for inhaling and exhaling.

Promotes a state of deep relaxation

Dr. Cheri D. Mah, a doctor working in the US, said that the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is responsible for putting the body into a state of relaxation, in contrast to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which increases the body's response to stress through rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and alertness.

Both states are important for life, and they require balance. Before we fall asleep, most of us are still stuck in a state of stress, which makes it difficult to sleep. Breathing exercises can activate the parasympathetic system, which helps us sleep better.

Reduce chronic stress

If practiced regularly over time, the ability to regulate the nervous system and respond to stress improves. "Reducing stress helps reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, improve mood, and reduce muscle tension," says Bergmann. This also helps us fall asleep more easily and improve our overall health.

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