Whether you live a busy, stressful life or are just struggling with anxiety, falling sleep doesn’t always come easy.
This isn’t a good thing, considering we all know how important it is to feel rested. Not getting proper sleep can totally wreak havoc on our lives too.
As a result, we end up reading countless articles on sleep hygiene, trying things like chamomile tea and sometimes we even turn to over-the-counter sleep aids.
If these things aren’t quite doing it for you, you might want to try this simple breathing trick.
Celebrity doctor and alternative medicine guru, Dr. Andrew Weil, recommends practicing what he calls the 4-7-8 method. He even goes so far as to call it a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.”
So, what exactly is this technique?
Essentially, it’s a form of meditation. Considering the fact that countless studies have shown the benefits of meditating, perhaps there’s something to it. It is, after all, a proven method for de-stressing.
Whenever you’re dealing with anxiousness or stress, or you simply can’t fall asleep, Dr. Weil suggests you try this exercise.
First, you’ll take the tip of your tongue and place it against your upper alveolar ridge. This is the small protuberance of tissue found just behind your upper front teeth. You’ll want to keep your tongue in that position throughout the exercise.
Next, you’ll need to exhale completely through your mouth. As you’ll be exhaling around your tongue, it can help to purse your lips a bit if necessary. When exhaling, you should make a “whoosh” sound.
Then, you’ll close your mouth and quietly inhale through your nose while mentally counting to four.
You’ll then hold your breath to the count of seven.
Finally, you’ll exhale completely, again making a “whoosh” sound while you mentally count to eight.
That constitutes one breath, so you’ll want to repeat the exercise three more times for a total of four breaths.
