Professor Andrew Weil 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 practiced anywhere, anytime, whether you're lying in bed or preparing for a stressful meeting.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique can help people fall asleep more easily.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is very simple to perform:
Step 1: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Step 2: Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth starting from the 8th second.
Suzanne Bergmann, a psychotherapist in New York City, explains that holding your breath slows it down, ensuring the exhalation and inhalation processes are completed as efficiently as possible. Slowly exhaling through the mouth empties the lungs more than exhaling naturally, and the body absorbs more oxygen in the next inhale. With practice, we can increase the counting speed.
This technique offers numerous benefits for both respiratory function and mental health, helping us fall asleep faster.
Eliminate unwanted thoughts.
A common problem is that thoughts often race through our heads, causing mental agitation and making it difficult to fall asleep.
However, the mind cannot focus on two things at once. When performing 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. Therefore, conscious breathing will eliminate unwanted thoughts from the mind.
Improve respiratory condition
When you consciously take deep breaths, as in the 4-7-8 breathing technique, the diaphragm is fully activated to improve respiration instead of breathing too quickly or too rapidly. This muscle, located just below the lungs, is responsible for inhalation and exhalation.
Promote a state of deep relaxation.
Dr. Cheri D. Mah, a physician working in the United States, explains that the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is responsible for putting the body into a relaxed state, in contrast to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which increases the body's response to stress through rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and alertness.
Both of these states are crucial for life, and they require balance. Before falling asleep, most of us are still trapped in a state of stress that makes it difficult to sleep. Breathing exercises can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting better sleep.
Reduce chronic stress
If practiced regularly over time, the ability to regulate the nervous system and respond to stress will improve. "Reducing stress helps reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, improve mood, and reduce muscle tension," says Bergmann. This also makes it easier to fall asleep and improves overall health.
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