The technique, known as breathing 4-7-8, was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, a trained physician and founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. It is based on exercises found in yoga, in order to control stress and anxiety.
“The 4-7-8 breath I teach is the most powerful relaxation method that I’ve discovered,” Weil said in a video demonstration of the technique. “It’s very simple, no equipment required, takes very little time, costs nothing.”
This is how to practice the technique correctly:
– Step 1: inhale calmly through your nose while counting to four.
– Step 2: Hold your breath while you count to seven.
– Step 3: Blow air through your mouth audibly and forcefully.
– Step 4: repeat this process for a total of four breathing cycles.
The speed with which you do the technique is not necessarily important. The important thing is to maintain the 4-7-8 ratio between counts.
According to Weil, this It is a technique that you should practice regularly., at least twice a day, to benefit fully. “You can do it more often than twice a day, but never more than four breath cycles at a time,” Weil says in the video.
Weil indicates that it can take four to six weeks before you notice any physiological changes from the practice. Over time, she explains, it could help slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, improve digestion, improve circulation, and help you fall asleep.
According to Patrick McKeown, a leading international expert on breathing and sleep, and the author of best-selling books like ‘The Oxygen Advantage’, changing our breathing can have a profound impact on our physical and mental state.
“With breathing exercises, one can regulate down and up, giving us control over how our minds and bodies react to external stimuli,” McKeown explains to ‘Newsweek’. «For sleep, breathing and mental health, functional breathing is essential».
McKeown says that for people who can slow their breathing rate to around three breaths per minute, such as during the 4-7-8 exercise, the long exhalation will help activate the body’s relaxation response. “Practicing this breathing technique before bed will not only help people fall asleep, it will markedly improve sleep quality and, when practiced regularly, will lead to an overall better quality of life.”
Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and member of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, is a “big fan” of the 4-7-8 breathing technique. According to this expert, the technique lowers the heart rate to the point where it should be at night when someone is trying to fall asleep.