In this blog post I share a simple, yet incredibly calming and healing, breathing exercise – the 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise. This exercise is a natural tranquiliser for the nervous system. It is quick and easy to practice making it easy to incorporate into your daily life no matter how busy you are!
By imposing a rhythm on our voluntary nervous system through conscious, controlled breathing, over time, we beneficially influence the underlying rhythm of our involuntary nervous system. Our involuntary nervous system controls all of our bodily functions including digestion, circulation and blood pressure to name just a few. It is subtle when first practiced but gains power with consistent practice and repetition.
What to do:
1. Sit comfortably with your back upright;
2. Place the tip of your tongue on the flesh just behind your upper front teeth;
3. Exhale completely through your mouth and nose;
4. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4;
5. Hold your breath for a count of 7;
6. Exhale through your nose for a count of 8;
7. Repeat steps 4-6 three more times until you have taken a total of four complete breath cycles.
Don’t be alarmed if you feel a little light headed the first time you try this exercise. This is completely normal and will soon disappear with practice. You may also find, as I did, that you need to speed up your counting to achieve the 4-7-8 rhythm. It is not important how fast or slow you count, it is the 4-7-8 ratio that is most important. Aim to make your exhalation twice as long as your inhalation.
I am in the habit of practicing four breath cycles twice each day. I do my first series of four breath cycles first thing in the morning before my morning meditation session and my second series of four breath cycles last thing at night before going to sleep.
Once you have mastered this simple exercise you will be able to call on it anytime. When I notice that I am feeling stressed or uptight during the day I practice this exercise for its instantaneous calming effect. I also find it an incredibly effective way of falling asleep again if I wake during the night. I hope that you too will find this exercise a beneficial practice to incorporate into your life and have at your disposal.
If the 4-7-8 breath ratio doesn’t feel quite right for you, try experimenting and see what feels better. You could start with a 3-2-4 breath ratio and work your way up to the 4-7-8 ratio over time. And if all this all sounds a bit complicated for you right now simply stopping and taking three conscious deep breaths at any moment during the day is enormously beneficial and a great place to start!
