Still Can’t Sleep? Try This…

Trouble falling asleep? It happens to all of us at one time or another. But maybe it happens to you many nights, or most nights. Have you tried the warm bath, essential oils, cool, dark, quiet room? I won’t ask if you’re taking sleeping pills. Hopefully not. Try learning this instead. It’s called the 4-7-8 breathing technique.

Prepare yourself by exhaling completely through your mouth making a ‘whoosh’ sound.

1) Close your mouth. Then inhale through your nose while silently counting to 4.
2) Hold your breath silently counting to 7.
3) Exhale completely through your mouth making that same ‘whoosh’ sound for 8 counts.

Repeat the cycle 3 more times, for a total of 4 breaths.

Practice each time you are ready for sleep keeping the following things in mind:

• the inhalations through your nose are quiet, the exhalations through your mouth are audible
• the tip of your tongue stays in one position throughout the cycle
• the exact time you take to exhale, inhale, and hold your breath is unimportant; the key is the 4-7-8 ratio; exhalation should take twice as long as inhalation

Practice will make you better at regulating your breath, the basis of an ancient Indian practice known as pranayama. As a result more oxygen will fill your lungs, tension in your body will decrease, and you will go to sleep.

Try this technique each time you lie down to sleep. You will get better and better, with sleep coming in less time as you improve.

Every day…..Say NO To Stroke!