4-7-8 breathing technique helps you sleep better faster

There are few things as frustrating as tossing and turning, unable to sleep, especially if you have a big day coming up and need to rest.

In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Jo, a physical therapist, demonstrated a simple breathing exercise that can help you fall asleep quickly and comfortably, instead of tossing and turning in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling or counting sheep.

Dr. Jo calls this the 4-7-8 technique , and it involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding that breath for 7 seconds, and then breathing out for 8 seconds.

You should lie on your back when doing this exercise.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, the 4-7-8 method does not require any equipment . When starting out, the practitioner should sit up straight, in the quietest place possible. Once mastered, people can use this technique in bed . During the entire practice, people should place the tip of their tongue on the ridge of tissue behind their upper front teeth, exhaling around the tongue.

First, the practitioner exhales completely through the mouth, making a sound similar to a whistle. Then, close your mouth and inhale through the nose, counting from one to four in your head. Next, hold your breath and count from one to seven. Finally, exhale through the mouth while counting from one to eight. Repeat the process until you have completed four breaths.

'If you have trouble holding your breath, speed up the exercise but keep the steps the same. With practice, you will get used to slowing down your breathing, taking deeper inhales and longer exhales,' says Dr. Weil.

Deep breathing techniques help you sleep well. (Photo: Pexels).

When a person is stressed, their sympathetic nervous system goes into 'fight or flight' mode , making them overstimulated and unable to relax enough to fall asleep, says Raj Dasgupta, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. This condition also causes a rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing.

Practicing 4-7-8 breathing helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system , responsible for rest and digestion, reducing stress, putting the body into a more sleep-inducing state.

According to Dasgupta, some evidence suggests that 4-7-8 breathing can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. A team of researchers from Thailand studied the immediate effects of this method on the heart rate and blood pressure of 43 healthy young adults. When experts observed the effects of the 4-7-8 technique, they found that theta and delta brain waves increased, which helped reduce anxiety.

4-7-8 breathing is relatively simple and safe, but beginners may feel a little lightheaded.

"In normal breathing, people inhale an equal amount of oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. When this balance is upset (exhaling more than inhaling), the carbon dioxide level in the body drops, and blood vessels to the brain narrow. This reduced blood supply to the brain can cause symptoms such as dizziness. This is why it is best to start slowly and practice three to four cycles at a time, until you feel comfortable," Dasgupta explains.

According to him, people who practice for a long time will gradually get used to slow breathing, and the body and mind will automatically use it unconsciously to control stress and anxiety.