If there’s one thing your body and mind need, it’s a good, solid 8 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, many millions of people struggle to get the sleep they need. Even if they hop into bed at a reasonable hour and try to put themselves in sleep mode, they end up tossing and turning. No matter how many sheep they count, they remain stubbornly awake. There are pills for this, of course, but there can be side effects and even addiction problems. For some people, a warm bath and some melatonin will do the trick. But if none of this works for you does it mean you’re destined for a life of sleepless nights? Not at all. There’s an easy, all-natural technique that can help you get to sleep.
It’s a simple breathing exercise called the “4-7-8 breathing technique.” It’s the brainchild of Dr. Andrew Weil, a specialist in holistic health and integrative medicine. He calls the breathing exercise a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.” And indeed, the exercise isn’t just for getting to sleep. It can be used any time of the day or night to reduce stress and drive away negative thoughts.
We’ve posted a video below in which Dr. Weil spells out all the details, but we’ll also briefly describe how it’s done here. You start by placing the tip of your tongue against the area right behind your upper front teeth; your tongue will spend the entire exercise there. What you’ll also be doing throughout is exhaling through your mouth; many people find it helpful to purse their lips slightly when doing this. When you do exhale, expel the air with a “whoosh” sound. After exhaling, you need to close your mouth and inhale for 4 seconds. Now hold your breath for 7 seconds. Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds, again making that “whoosh” sound. That’s 4-7-8. You should do this whole cycle a total of four times.
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