4-7-8 breathing: How to use the technique for sleep or anxiety

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CNN
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Falling asleep or coming down from anxiety may never be as easy as 1-2-3, but some experts believe another set of numbers – 4-7-8 – gets much closer to the trick.

The 4-7-8 technique is a relaxation exercise that involves inhaling four times, holding your breath seven times, and exhaling eight times, said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck Faculty of Medicine, via email.

4-7-8, also known as “relaxing breath,” has ancient roots in pranayama, the yogic practice of breathing regulation, but was pioneered in 2015 by integrative medicine specialist Dr. Andrew Weil, made popular.

“A lot of sleep disorders are about people who have trouble falling asleep because their minds are buzzing,” said Rebecca Robbins, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “But exercises like the 4-7-8 technique give you an opportunity to practice peace. And that’s what we need to do before we go to bed.”

“It doesn’t get you to fall asleep, but it can reduce anxiety to increase the likelihood of falling asleep,” said Joshua Tal, a New York State-based clinical psychologist.

The 4-7-8 method doesn’t require any equipment or special setup, but when you first learn the exercise, Weil says you should sit with a straight back. Practicing in a quiet, quiet place might help, Robbins said. Once you get the hang of it, you can use the technique in bed.

Throughout the exercise, place the tip of your tongue against the edge of tissue behind your upper front teeth as you exhale through your mouth around your tongue. Then follow these steps, so because:

Keeping the ratio of four, then seven, then eight counts is more important than the time you spend on each phase, according to Weil.

“If you’re having trouble holding your breath, speed up the exercise, but keep the ratio (constant) for the three phases. With practice, you can slow everything down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply,” his website advised.

When you’re stressed, your sympathetic nervous system — responsible for your fight-or-flight response — is overly active, causing you to feel overstimulated and unwilling to relax and drift off to sleep, Dasgupta said. “An active sympathetic nervous system can cause a rapid heart rate and rapid and shallow breathing.”

The 4-7-8 breathing practice can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system — responsible for rest and digestion — which reduces sympathetic activity, he added, and puts the body in a state more conducive to restful sleep. Activating the parasympathetic system also gives an anxious brain something to focus on besides “Why am I not sleeping?”. said Tal.

While proponents may swear by the method, more research is needed to establish clearer links between 4-7-8 and sleep and other health benefits, he added.

“There is some evidence that 4-7-8 breathing helps reduce anxiety, depressive, and insomnia symptoms when comparing before and after the intervention. However, to my knowledge, there are no large randomized controlled trials specifically on 4-7-8 breathing. ‘ Thal said. “Research on (the effect of) diaphragmatic breathing on these symptoms in general is patchy, with no clear association due to the poor quality of the studies.”

A Thailand-based team of researchers studied the immediate effects of 4-7-8 breathing on heart rate and blood pressure in 43 healthy young adults. After participants measured these health factors and their fasting blood glucose, they performed 4-7-8 breaths for six cycles per set for three sets, interspersed with one minute of normal breathing between each set. Researchers found the technique improved participants’ heart rates and blood pressure, according to a study published in July.

“When you practice some of these activities, we see (an) increase in the amplitude of theta and delta (brain) waves, indicating you’re in the parasympathetic state,” Robbins said. “Slow breathing like the 4-7-8 technique reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and improves lung function.”

The 4-7-8 technique is relatively safe, but if you’re a beginner, you might feel a bit groggy at first, Dasgupta said.

“Normal breathing is a balance between inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. If you upset that balance by exhaling more than you inhale, it causes a rapid reduction in carbon dioxide in the body,” he said. “Low levels of carbon dioxide lead to narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. This reduction in blood supply to the brain leads to symptoms such as lightheadedness. Because of this, it’s often recommended to start slow and practice three to four cycles at a time until you’re comfortable with the technique.”

The more you practice the 4-7-8 technique, the better you get, and the more your body and mind will incorporate it into your usual list of stress and anxiety management tools, Dasgupta said. Some people combine this method with other relaxation practices, such as progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, mindfulness, or meditation.

Uncontrolled stress can come in the form of disrupted sleep, Robbins said. “But if we can manage our stress throughout the day (and) use some of these breathing techniques, we can put ourselves in the driver’s seat instead of becoming victims of events that happen in our lives.”