[imagesource: Audacy]

Sleeping remains one of life’s great pleasures.

I remember my younger days, when sleeping until 9AM – nay, 10AM – was something that happened with regularity.

Granted, I went to bed later, but life just doesn’t afford you the opportunity to lie in as often the older you get.

Worse still is going to bed early, only to lie there tossing and turning as your shut-eye time wastes away.

There are apps and gadgets, there are podcasts, and there are simpler, more old-school methods to get to sleep.

One of those, the 4-7-8 method, has been dubbed a “natural tranquilliser for the nervous system”. Championed by Dr. Andrew Weil, the founder and director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, all you need is a few seconds and a set of lungs.

Vogue with more:

The 4-7-8 method is a breathwork practice, devolved from the ancient yogic tradition of pranayama (or breath regulation) which helps relax the body and mind and subsequently eases you into sleep…

It works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our rest and digest mode, while switching off the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers our stress response (or fight or flight mode).

Along with helping you fall asleep, the method has also been credited with reducing day-to-day anxiety and helping people better manage their cravings.

Its simplicity is really the best part:

• Breathe in through your nose for a count of four seconds.
• Hold your breath for seven seconds.
• Exhale for eight seconds, making a “whoosh” sound through pursed lips.

It’s recommended that the exercise is repeated four times, to aid with falling asleep.

Those wanting optimal benefits should also repeat the exercise at least once during the day, preferably while sitting with a straight back.

Dr. Weil’s claims are backed up by Harvard cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson, who calls the resultant feeling the “relaxation response”.

WebMD also listed a number of benefits associated with the 4-7-8 method:

Lower blood pressure. Slow deep breathing for five minutes has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate in people who practice it.

Less pain. A study of 16 healthy people found that those who practiced relaxed deep breathing experienced less pain than those who practiced deep breathing that required a lot of sustained attention. Both groups experienced less tension, anger, and depression.

Improved concentration. A 2017 study examined the effect of eight weeks of deep, slow, abdominal breathing on attention, emotions, and stress levels. After training, the people in the deep breathing group performed better on tests of attention and had fewer negative emotions.

Right, sorted.

Nothing to lose from trying a breathing exercise.

It won’t keep your children from waking you at ungodly hours, but that’s your cross to bear.

[sources:vogue&webmd]