How the 4-7-8 breathing technique will help you relax and sleep

Insomnia is essentially becoming an epidemic. Thousands of people around the world do not get enough sleep every day. Lack of sleep negatively affects all aspects of our lives, including causing health problems. What to do when well-known recommendations for improving sleep do not help? Perhaps the information offered below will be the answer to this painful question for you!

HeadInsider

Rules for healthy sleep

For sleep to have the desired effect, you need to know how to sleep properly. Despite the simplicity of these mandatory rules, most people forget or systematically violate them, for which they subsequently have to pay not only with lack of sleep, but also with health problems.

Bed and accessories

It is important to consider what you sleep on. It is worth understanding that the dimensions of the bed, as well as the mattress, must correspond to the dimensions of the person, and in no case should they restrict his body movements during sleep. Orthopedic mattresses are recognized as the optimal solution, which will prevent curvature of the spine and other back problems.

At the same time, the choice is always individual, and the criterion of rigidity is influenced by both health characteristics and age:

• up to 30 years – hard mattress;
• 30–50 – medium hardness;
• from 50 – the most comfortable option.

Experts advise paying attention to the weight of the sleeper: softer mattresses are recommended for people weighing up to 60 kg; those over 90 kg are recommended for models with increased rigidity.

You should sleep on low orthopedic pillows made of elastic and elastic material (latex, artificial fibers, etc.). Such devices maintain an ideal position and allow the cervical vertebrae to rest and recover at night during sleep.

Ambient conditions

Our body is designed in such a way that sleep should take place in complete darkness. This promotes greater relaxation and eliminates various light stimuli. For those who for some reason cannot plunge into pitch darkness, there are special eye masks. And to make your face look young and fresh the next morning, there are special offers with helium pads.

In addition to darkness, the following conditions must be met:

• absence of noise (earplugs help to distance yourself from sounds);
• air temperature – 16–18 °C, humidity – 50%;
• Every day you need to ventilate the bedroom an hour before bedtime;
• bed linen should be made from natural materials.

Pose

Few people think about the correct position to go to bed in. But in vain, because the position of the body can both have a beneficial effect on the condition and worsen it. Thus, the position on the back is considered optimal: all muscles and systems of the body relax. Sleeping on your side is no less beneficial.

Doctors believe that the “embryo” position on the left side helps improve digestion, since the intestines and stomach are in a natural position, and nothing interferes with their normal functioning, activates blood circulation, since pressure on the vena cava is minimized, reduces the load on the spinal column and reduction of lumbar pain.

But sleeping on the right side is useful for stress and gallstone disease, but it puts a strain on the liver. It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach, as the chest is compressed, which makes breathing difficult. The arteries in the cervical spine are also compressed, blood flow is disrupted, pressure on the pelvic organs is aggravated, and body weight puts stress on the internal organs.

Period and duration

“To get enough sleep, you need to go to bed on time,” everyone heard from their parents. But what does this mean and when does this “on time” occur? Scientists have proven that the most favorable period, when the body rests as much as possible and the peak production of all hormones is noted, is the period from 22:00 to 2:00.

If a person is used to going to bed no earlier than 3 am and thinks to compensate for lost rest with morning sleep, which often flows into the afternoon, the attempt will be in vain. After 6:00–7:00 am, sleep is no longer beneficial. Depending on a person’s individual needs, somnologists advise sleeping 8–9 hours and going to bed at 10:00–11:00 pm in order to be in the deep sleep phase at 2 am.

Basic rules of breathing exercises

Create a cozy atmosphere - open the window for ventilation, turn off all the lights, TV and computer.
In order for breathing exercises to really effectively cope with insomnia, using them, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Before performing gymnastics, thoroughly ventilate the room, and then leave the window open for the entire sleep time.
2. Tight synthetic clothing that impedes chest movement should be replaced with a light nightgown or a loose-fitting T-shirt, always made of natural fabric.
3. Create an environment favorable for falling asleep quickly: turn off the bright lights, turn off the TV and computer.
4. Try to distract yourself from everyday thoughts, fully concentrating on performing the complex.
5. Perform gymnastics with your eyes closed, which promotes greater relaxation and makes it easier to fall asleep.
6. Increase the pace of training gradually, increasing the number of approaches for each exercise every day.
7. During exercise, breathe only through your nose, at a slow pace, exhaling longer than inhaling.
8. To assess the correctness of the exercises, especially in the first days of classes, place one palm in the chest area, controlling its movements, and the second on the stomach.

Also, special exercises during insomnia are best performed alone, so that no external factors can distract or disrupt the correct breathing rhythm.

Contraindications

Before deciding to perform breathing exercises, you should definitely consult a somnologist, because
it is possible that the causes of insomnia are much more serious than those that can be cured by breathing exercises Despite all the obvious effectiveness and safety of breathing exercises for combating insomnia, in some cases such exercises should be performed with caution. This is about:

• infectious diseases;
• old age;
• acute or chronic forms of respiratory diseases (obstructive bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, etc.).

In addition, sometimes insomnia can have quite serious causes, for which breathing exercises alone will not be enough to overcome. Therefore, when faced with a similar problem, it is better to consult a doctor who will help you choose the best treatment option for each specific case.

And the most important thing that should not be forgotten when deciding to cope with insomnia with the help of breathing exercises is that any exercise of this kind should be performed with pleasure, accompanied only by pleasant sensations. You should not force your body, because in this case there will be no question of healthy and sound sleep. For the same reason, the pace of training should be increased gradually, without trying to complete all the exercises in full in the first days. It is important to closely monitor your well-being and at the first signs of fatigue or dizziness, take a break, giving your body the opportunity to adjust to continuing exercise.

Similar materials

Dream according to Feng Shui

Eastern sages insist that the main role for a healthy and comfortable sleep is played by the position of the body relative to the cardinal points, as well as a certain arrangement of objects in the bedroom. Chinese philosophers have an interesting view on the position of the body in a dream in relation to the door.

Any passage is a boundary between energy spheres. Everything that is behind the door is considered a “dead” zone, and everything in front is considered a “live” zone. Therefore, you should not lie down with your head or feet towards the exit. This will not lead to death, but it threatens lethargy and loss of strength due to weakening vital energy.

According to Taoist practice, the sleep ritual must comply with the following rules:

• You shouldn't sleep on the floor. This is the place of maximum accumulation of negative energy.
• Do not place household appliances near the sleeping area. Otherwise, a headache the next morning is inevitable.
• Don't sleep on a bed that has already had owners. Any energy is stored for a long time on used things, but you can resort to a ritual of cleansing the energy.
• The bedroom should be spacious, so you should not clutter it with furniture. It is especially bad if the sharp corners of the cabinets or tables are in the direction of the bed.
• The sleeping person should not be reflected in mirrors. This also threatens the outflow of positive energy and a high risk of disease. Therefore, there is no need to hang mirrors opposite the bed, or make mirrored ceilings.

Attention! Doctors recommend that people with heart disease sleep on their right side, which will reduce the load on the heart by lowering blood pressure and the frequency of contraction of the heart muscles.

Well-being and other quality characteristics of life depend on which side the head of the bed is directed to:

• north – characterized by stability and peace, so those who are tired of worries and stress, lying with their heads to the north side, will return life to a calm, measured course;
• East - sleeping with your head to the east is useful for tired people with a catastrophically reduced vitality. This will give you energy and new strength to accomplish all things and tasks;
• West – those who need variety, creativity, creative ideas and simply new sensations should sleep with their head facing west. After a few weeks of such a dream, a person’s life will sparkle with new colors, and his usual life will be supplemented with new interesting events;
• south - a way to increase material well-being with the help of strong southern energy involves falling asleep alone, it is contraindicated for people who are impressionable and in difficult stressful situations.

To decorate a bedroom, it is good to use the color type of the yin sign (green, purple, blue) or light pastel colors

4-7-8 breathing: benefits

This breathing practice can be used not only before bed, but also in moments of nervous tension and stressful situations. When we are anxious or scared, our breathing quickens, causing the level of adrenaline in our blood to increase. Holding your breath and exhaling slowly slows your heart rate, so 4-7-8 breathing works as a sedative.

During practice, all attention is directed to the process of breathing and counting; this calms the central nervous system and normalizes the pulse, as a result of which the feeling of anxiety decreases and clarity of thought occurs.

This breathing technique helps curb your appetite and improve digestion. So, if you have a goal to lose weight, be sure to include this breathing technique in your daily workouts.

Tangible results of practice are noticeable after 3-5 weeks.

The dangers of lack of sleep

Each of us wants to be healthy and stay young as long as possible. But not everyone understands that this requires quality sleep. And sleep at night, because only in sleep and only in the dark is the necessary portion of melatonin produced.

Many people would be happy to go to bed early, but they can’t; their active brain doesn’t allow them to fall asleep, replaying the events of the past day, meetings, conversations before their eyes... Breathing according to the 4-7-8 pattern will help you quickly calm your mind, relax and fall asleep effortlessly.

Lack of sleep can lead to:

• Failure in all organs and systems
• CNS depression
• Paranoia
• Diabetes mellitus
• Deterioration of brain function and memory
• Premature aging
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Dementia

If you have trouble falling asleep, be sure to try the 4-7-8 breathing technique according to Dr. Andrew Weiss.

Breathing technique for falling asleep quickly or how to fall asleep in 60 seconds?

At first, it is best to practice while sitting. When you master this breathing technique well, you will be able to perform it lying down, standing, and even while walking.

• Sit so that your back is straight and your feet touch the floor.
• Place the tip of your tongue on the tubercle of the upper palate and keep it there throughout the practice.
• Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth, completely emptying your lungs of air, maintaining the position of your tongue on the upper palate.
• Take a deep breath in through your nose for 4 counts.
• Then hold your breath for 7 counts.
• Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts.

This is one breathing cycle, you need to do 4 such cycles in total.

This breathing method can be done anytime and anywhere as it does not take much time and does not require special training or additional equipment.

You can count faster or slower, the main thing is to maintain the proportion 4-7-8.

For the first month of training, we recommend doing this exercise 2 times a day, no more than four breathing cycles. Then you can increase to 8 cycles.

Regular practice will help improve digestion, normalize blood pressure, relieve anxiety and even stop a panic attack.

Putting the baby to bed

Children's sleep is very sensitive, so first of all it is worth protecting the child from any extraneous noise and bright light. In young children, sleep is cyclical, and it is common for the child to wake up several times during the night. This can be facilitated by hunger, colic, full diapers, teething, etc.

As your baby gets older, his sleep becomes more sound and interrupted less often. If the child wakes up too often (up to every hour) and the awakening is accompanied by crying and hysterics, you need to show the child to the pediatrician. Often the causes are various diseases: enuresis, anemia, apnea, allergies, infections.

The baby should be put to bed at the same time, excluding all active games 2-3 hours before falling asleep. Feed no later than half an hour before going to bed. Soothing baths with the addition of valerian, lemon balm, calendula, and oregano help.

A certain “ritual” that the child associates with sleep also works well. This could be reading a bedtime story, a massage, bathing, a toy, a kiss from a parent, etc.

The child must be provided with active leisure and regular walks in the fresh air. This also has a beneficial effect on quickly falling asleep without hysterics and tears.

The connection between sleep and breathing

At first glance, it may seem that breathing and healthy sleep have nothing to do with each other. But if you try to fall asleep in a stuffy and hot room, being in an irritated state or worrying about important things planned for tomorrow, it becomes clear that without physical relaxation and mental balance, you can forget about a full night’s rest. Busy with restless thoughts and starved of oxygen, the brain is not able to completely switch off, preventing a person from falling asleep quickly. And correctly selected breathing exercises in this case help to reduce discomfort to a minimum, allowing the body to relax and tune in to rest.

These exercises will also help strengthen your immune system.

By regularly performing exercises of this kind, you can:

• cleanse the airways, getting rid of chronic respiratory diseases;
• improve blood circulation, providing brain cells with additional oxygen flow;
• relieve muscle spasms and get rid of pain;
• normalize the functioning of the nervous system, reduce emotional stress and mental fatigue;
• strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of developing many diseases of the endocrine, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.

In addition, breathing exercises help the brain to distract itself from restless thoughts that prevent you from falling asleep quickly: performing such exercises requires full concentration on the alternation of inhalations and exhalations, leaving no time for the fears and anxieties accumulated during the day.