4-7-8 Breathing technique

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I am nearing 42 and I have come to the point where I can openly say that I am a person who’s nervous system isn’t super balanced. I used to think it was just my “normal” to be up and down all the time- I would go from angry to happy to crying to laughing all in one day (maybe a few times a day to be honest ahhh!)- and thought, hey this is just ME, nothing I can do about it. My emotions were like a tiny row boat in the middle of the ocean, being thrashed around by the whim of the waves and weather.

I have learned many tools and techniques to get a bit more grounded in this area. It’s definitely a work in progress, but I am steadier today than I was years ago! I am inspired to share some of these easy tips with busy, modern women who juggle a million things and often feel overwhelmed.

Deep breathing, or diaphragmic breathing, can offer:

  • reduction in cortisol levels

  • lowering of blood pressure

  • decreased inflammation

  • lowering heart rate

  • detoxification and release of toxins

  • release of muscle tension

So, to get to the point! One of my most favorite, most useful tools to get a little more balanced inside, is the 4-7-8 breathing technique coined by Dr. Andrew Weil. Any simple, slow, deep breathing will do the trick to alert your brain and nervous system to relax and slow down.

While much of our modern culture is based on more more more, faster faster faster, the result is that many of us end up in a constant state of fight or flight, and our cortisol levels sky rocket. When you practice deep breathing, you tell your nervous system that you are safe so your emotions don’f flood you, you are able to see situations more clearly, and react with more thought. And FEEL better!

4-7-8 breathing is easy and can be done wherever you are- in your kitchen, in your car, on line, in bed, or just sitting quietly like a mini-meditation.

Here’s how you do it:

  1. INHALE THROUGH YOUR NOSE TO A SLOW COUNT OF 4

  2. HOLD YOUR BREATH AT THE TOP OF THE INHALE TO A COUNT OF 7

  3. SLOWLY EXHALE THROUGH YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH TO A SLOW COUNT OF 8, MAKING AN AUDIBLE SOUND, RELEASING ALL OF THE BREATH FROM YOUR BODY

Some tips: if this count doesn’t work for you (I was kinda gasping for air when I first did this!) you can shorten the count but keep the ratio (change it to 3-5-6 kinda thing) and practice until you feel comfortable and relaxed. This technique is great because it works in under a minute, so if you’re starting to feel your body stressing out (my heart beats fast, I feel hot, etc.) you can go right to this breathing and it will calm you down.

For those of you who have a hard time sleeping, this is amazingly helpful to do as you lie in bed!

TRY IT!

xoxoxoxo katia

katia herman