The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique is a breathing technique that relieves stress and induces relaxation. It’s helpful to tune into your emotions when you’re feeling stressed, anxious or nervous, or even when you’re having trouble sleeping. The technique relies on a ratio of inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhaling for 8 seconds. This ratio helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system and puts your body into a restful state.
The good news is that you can practice 4-7-8 anytime, anywhere, because all you need is yourself! Here’s a brief overview:.
- Sit down in a comfortable upright position.
- Let go of your breath completely and exhale.
- Close your lips and breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
- Then hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Next, slowly exhale for a count of eight.
- Feel free to repeat this four times and then increase to eight cycles.
This is a simple yet powerful technique to add to your stress reduction toolbox that can help prevent the harmful effects of stress on the body and mind.