Al-Marsad Newspaper – Agencies: Experts say, according to what was reported by the American “CNN” network, that breathing according to the 4-7-8 method can be one of the most successful methods of falling asleep, knowing that it is also known as “relaxation breathing.”
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, associate professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, explains that the 4-7-8 method is a relaxation exercise that involves drawing air into the body for four seconds, holding the air for seven seconds in the lungs, and exhaling for eight seconds as well.
For her part, said Rebecca Robbins, a professor at Harvard Medical School that the difficulties that many people face while falling asleep is related to their preoccupation with many things.
“But a workout like 4-7-8 gives you the opportunity to be a little more peaceful, and that’s exactly what we need to do before we go to bed,” she adds.
How do you apply 4-7-8?
4-7-8 does not require any equipment, it is enough to do it while sitting with your back straight, and you can start doing it while lying on the bed, and it is important that the place is quiet, this helps, and the method is implemented as follows:
Exhale only through your mouth, and this will make a sizzling sound.
Close your mouth and inhale softly through your nose until you reach the number 4.
Hold your breath until you finish counting to 7.
Release trapped air through your mouth, making a sizzling sound until you finish counting to 8.
Repeat the process 3 more times for a total of four.
According to Dasgupta, there is evidence that 4-7-8 breathing helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia, but more research is needed to clarify the relationship between this method and health gains.
“The 4-7-8 method is relatively safe, but if you are a beginner, you may feel a little dizzy at first,” he added.
He continued: “Normal breathing is a balance between breathing oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, when this balance is disturbed, a rapid decrease in carbon dioxide occurs, which leads to narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood, and thus the decrease in blood flow to the brain leads to the emergence of symptoms such as dizziness. For this reason, it is often recommended to start slowly.
