Dreading getting into bed at night for fear of not falling asleep? Well, if you’re someone who has tried everything, from hot milk to counting sheep, you may have a chance with this latest technique.

Pioneered by Dr Andrew Weil, who on his YouTube channel claims that you’ll be gone in 60 seconds, the 4-7-8 breathing technique works by introducing extra oxygen into your lungs – which has a relaxing effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a state of calmness in return.

Here’s how it works:

1. Exhale completely – and loudly – 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 – and loudly – through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
5. This is one breath.
6. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

It’s kind of like meditating and is based on an ancient Indian technique called pranayama, meaning “regulation of breath”. Distracting you from your everyday thoughts, as well as connecting you to your body, it’s the ideal way to attempt to calm yourself and get to sleep.

But it’s important to note that anxiety is not the only cause of not sleeping. Snoring plays a major role in people’s inability to get a good night’s sleep. If the 4-7-8 breathing technique has no effect, pop into a Sleep Renewal specialist who will figure out all your sleeping issues and help you overcome them.

[source:telegraph]