1. Breathing: The Key to Better Sleep?
a 2. 1. Slow It Down Shop
3. 2. Employ the 4-7-8 Technique
3.1. What is the 4-7-8 breathing exercise?
3.2. How to do the 4-7-8 breathing exercise?
4. 3. Use Traditional, Meditative Breaths
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5. 4. Channel your Inner Yogi
6. 5. Practice alternate nostril breathing Order Now
7. 6. Double down on your exhale
8. Want to improve your sleep?
Breathing: The Key to Better Sleep?
A common complaint for many when dealing with sleepless nights is that “they just can’t turn off their
mind”. There is scientific evidence behind the fact that if brainwave activity is too fast, we are physically
unable to achieve the state of rest that our bodies need to recover and repair themselves overnight.
Fortunately, there is a way to turn the mind off and calm yourself mind and body to achieve a state of
perfect sleep. Try these simple and effective tips for a beautiful night’s sleep, and look forward to beautiful
dreams from the very first night you implement them:
1. Slow It Down
Many of us take shallow, incomplete breaths as we go throughout the day—and we extend this ineffective
practice well into the night. Few of us know how to employ the use of our lungs AND diaphragm, taking it
all in and then holding it for a detoxifying release. The simple act of slowing down our breath also slows
down our brain wave activity, making it easier to fall asleep. Slower breathing allows the parasympathetic
a nervous system to take over, allowing your body to enter a rest/digest state of being. Improving the
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function of the parasympathetic nervous system improves all aspects of health, particularly the digestive
system. Those of us with leaky gut can rejoice, as employing breathing techniques is a very simple remedy
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for reducing digestive complications. Your entire body is repaired and restored as you attain a deep,
satisfying sleep.
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2. Employ the 4-7-8 Technique
According to the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, the 4-7-8 technique is just as effective as
meditation for turning off the mind and allowing you to live in the present moment. Sit upright and cross-
legged on your bed with your mouth closed and the tongue on the roof of the mouth. Breathe in deeply for
a count of 4, then hold in for 7 counts. Finally, exhale through your mouth slowly for a count of 8. Repeat for
at least four breath cycles and see how much better you feel and sleep!
What is the 4-7-8 breathing exercise?
Pranayama (literally translated “regulation of breath”) is an old Indian technique to reduce stress and
increase relaxation. It is also mostly used in yoga and pilates.
One of the most popular interpretations of this technique is the 4-7-8 breathing method, which is a
breathing pattern that is developed and popularised by Dr. Adrew Weil, a Harvard trained medical doctor
with a focus on holistic health.
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How to do the 4-7-8 breathing exercise?
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The 7 simple steps to falling asleep fast using the breathing exercise:
1. Take a comfortable position.
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2. Place the tip of your tongue against the backside of your upper teeth.
3. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a ‘shhhhh’ sound.
4. Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds, with your mouth closed.
5. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
6. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a ‘shhhhh’ sound for 8 seconds
7. Repeat this breathing process for around 4 times, making you complete 4 breathing cycles.
In this video Dr. Andrew Weil describes how to do the exercise.
Some people may find it hard to keep their breath in for 7 seconds, and make you feel light-headed. A
small note is that you can do this exercise with a smaller amount of counts, within the same ratio.
You could use a 3 – 5 – 6 breathing pattern, or a 2 – 3,5 – 4 for example. This will give you about the same
effect.
Small tips when doing this exercise:
