Breathing pattern for better sleep and stress reduction
Below, is a breathing pattern that can assist people in falling asleep faster. It has also been shown that it can help reduce stress, anger and cravings. This can be very beneficial to the large majority of the population as we all experience some of these from time to time.
The breathing pattern does not produce instant results it must be practiced religiously daily for 4-6weeks at least twice a day. It can be done more often if you like. It will become a beautiful way for you to fall asleep.
While performing it, your lungs will become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm. Science has shown that deep breathing has positive effects on the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system and even the expression of genes. Research has shown that breathing exercises like pranayama (a form of Yoga) can have immediate effects by altering the pH of the blood, and changing blood pressure.
Training yourself in this breathing pattern and being able to achieve the relaxed state that occurs when well-practiced. Can assist you in controlling the body’s reaction to stressful situations and dampen the production of harmful stress hormones. Rapid breathing, like when in a stressful situation, makes the body think it is stressed (a sympathetic nervous system reaction, fight or flight) but deep breaths stimulates the opposing reaction (parasympathetic nervous system, rest, digest, heal, reproduce), which calms people down.
With this you can use the mind to calm the body, as well as calming the mind its self. This is as easy for of meditation. So, start practicing today.
Start practicing ‘4-7-8’ method with these steps:
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
We acknowledge the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee as traditional custodians of the land upon which we provide our health and wellbeing services.