The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique: What It Is and How It Can Help You Relax and Sleep Better

Introduction

There are plenty of ways to relax. You can take a relaxing bath, read a book or go to the spa. But if you're looking for something quick and easy, try the 4-7-8 breathing.

Why it works

The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple way to relax and reduce stress. It works by slowing down your breathing, which in turn reduces anxiety and helps you feel calmer. This can be done at any time of day, but it's especially useful for helping you sleep better at night. The more relaxed you are when sleeping, the more restful your sleep will be--and waking up feeling refreshed is one of the best ways to start off each day!

How to do 4-7-8 breathing

To do the 4-7-8 breathing technique, you will want to:

• Breathe in through your nose for four seconds.

• Hold your breath for seven seconds.

• Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds (counting slowly from 1 to 4).

• Repeat this cycle three times.

What is 4-7-8 breathing?

The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple exercise that can be done anywhere, at any time. It involves inhaling through your nose for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling through your mouth for eight seconds--all in one continuous flow.

The idea behind this exercise is that it forces you to breathe more slowly than normal and helps calm the nervous system by slowing down its activity level. This results in reduced stress levels and improved moods over time (1).

This simple relaxation technique can help you reduce stress, anxiety and the need for sleep.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple relaxation exercise that you can do in just a few minutes each day. It's been shown to help you reduce stress and anxiety, improve your ability to breathe deeply and relax, as well as help you sleep better.

The 4-7-8 Technique

To perform this exercise:

• Take a deep breath through your nose as you count to four; hold it for seven seconds; then exhale slowly through pursed lips for eight seconds (or longer). Repeat this cycle five times or until you feel relaxed.

Visualized breathing

Visualized breathing is a powerful mindfulness technique that can help you reduce stress, anxiety, and improve your overall wellbeing. The Mindsight 'Breathing Buddha' is a great tool to help you practice visualized breathing.

Visualized breathing involves using a visual object that can cycle through a array of colors and as you  breath you follow along with the cycle. By focusing on this image, you can calm your mind, reduce distracting thoughts, and deepen your breath

Conclusion

We hope that you've found our brief overview of 4-7-8 breathing helpful. This technique is a great way to relax, reduce stress and anxiety, and even get better sleep. Best of all, it only takes about five minutes per day! If you want to learn more about how this breathing exercise can help improve your life in general, check out our other blog posts on mindfulness meditation techniques here at The Breathing Buddha.