Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard alumnus and world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a health care approach that is healing-oriented, invents a thrilling method of training our brain to fall asleep in 60 seconds. He shows a breathing technique of regulating respiration to diverse counts of 4, 7, and 8. With this method, the oxygen fills your lungs controlling your respiration, calming your thoughts, and freeing you from tossing and turning in bed until late at night.
Dr. Weil says that this breathing technique to soothe your nerves comes from the Indian Yogis, who used it as a part of their meditation practice. He also advocates the method as the single best one, when it comes to dealing with sleep, even when you wake up in the middle of the night.
Back in the days, this technique helped yogis enter a state of relaxation before meditation. Today it can be used to help overcome the over-stressed minds and calm them down, without any worries of medication side effects.
Dr. Andrew Weil encompasses the body, mind, and spirit into the healing methods of his teaching.
How does the method work?
The method of controlling your breathing through the 4-7-8 technique is easy and effective. The first step is inhaling through your nostrils for 4 seconds, then advancing into the second step of holding your breath for 7 seconds. Then finally exhaling through your mouth for 8 seconds.
This gradually decreases your extreme heart rate and simultaneously releases chemical compounds into your brain to soothe it. Great way to destress, right?
The theory coined by Dr. Weil states that by imposing certain rhythms on the breath with our voluntary system, it gradually gets inducted into our involuntary system too. But this can only be achieved with time. So, with regular practice over weeks, one might be able to include the method in their daily lifestyle. The next time you have difficulty sleeping, or keep waking up exhausted, try out this method.