A lot of people have problem falling asleep at night. They simply can’t get their mind to relax and slow down, so some of them need even 2 hours before they finally fall asleep. The common problem of sleep deprivation is bad for a person’s health, job, and personal life.
If one is constantly tired, his/her productivity will be reduced which can cause serious health problems.
As WebMD explains, chronic sleep loss can increase one’s risk of:
- Heart Attack
- Heart Disease
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Heart Failure
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Stroke
It’s for our optimal health that we need to get proper sleep, and Dr. Andrew Weil’s breathing technique called “4-7-8” might be the solution to this common problem.
Dr. Andrew Weil is a wellness practitioner from the University of Harvard, and he studies breathing and mediation, and combines them both in the fight against stress.
His breathing technique is quite easy and simple. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Then hold the breath for 7 seconds, and then breathe out for 8 seconds. Do this 3 more times. In this way, you will slow down your heart rate, thus relax your body.
And this “4-7-8” breathing technique is not only good for falling asleep, but also when you want to get rid of your stress during the day. So whenever you feel stressed at work, or at home, breathe in this specific way and you will feel your heart rate slows down, and your body relaxes.
Check out Dr. Weil’s video below to learn more about the “4-7-8” breathing technique and the proper way to do it!
Via David Wolfe
