According to a study, breathing this way will make you fall asleep faster

Many of us  find it hard to fall asleep because of how active our minds are and often we are kept up at night in bed because of the many worries and thoughts in our heads.

Sleep problems are common so don’t be ashamed or overly anxious about it. But it must be said that they can be a cause for concern especially if they affect your concentration and productivity the next day.

So if we don’t want to resort to medication such as sleeping pills, then what other options are there?

Breathing Method Easy as 1-2-3

A medical doctor trained in Harvard, Dr Andrew Weil, has developed a breathing technique that will successfully get you asleep really quickly.

Or to be more specific, the 4-7-8 technique

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

I know, it sounds super gimmicky and you might be sceptical about how just breathing can help you to fall asleep, but people who had tried it claimed it really works.

It won’t be able to work on everyone instantly, but after you practice it consistently, it should become more and more effective for you.

The Science Behind the Technique

This exercise helps you to regulate your breathing and allows your body to enter into a state of calm and relaxation.

It’s very similar to meditation in the sense that it helps to clear the mind of any thoughts and simulate a weightlessness and free-floating sensation, which will better help you be able to fall asleep.

The oxygen circulating through your body when you hold your breath is said to contribute to the relaxed state that you will feel and soon you will be in dreamland in no time.

Of course, we can’t expect this to work immediately the first time we try it, but it is guaranteed that you will feel extremely relaxed.

Just keep practising this technique every night before bed and once you get the hang of it, I’m pretty sure that falling asleep will be so much easier!

Top Image: Tom Wang / Shutterstock.com

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com