{"id":2047,"date":"2024-04-13T16:19:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-13T16:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gregmaxwell.net\/?p=2047"},"modified":"2025-08-21T19:49:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T19:49:15","slug":"breathe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregmaxwell.net\/index.php\/2024\/04\/13\/breathe\/","title":{"rendered":"Breathe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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2 AM and she calls me ’cause I’m still awake
“Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?

Poignant words echo through the night, as the sun breaks the stillness of the dawn.
There are ways we can combat the enemy of the mind that never seems to find solace.
To do this we must control the very act of taking one breath at a time.

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Carving out time for mindfulness<\/a> often feels like an indulgence, but it\u2019s necessary. And unlike everything else on your to-do list, there are simple ways to pause and reset\u2014like the 4-7-8 breathing technique. A controlled breathing pattern intended to help the mind and body relax, the 4-7-8 technique has helped many transition from a stressful storm into a more focused, present self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBreath work is an active meditation that helps reframe the nervous system\u2019s response to trauma and triggers,\u201d says Jasmine Marie, founder and CEO of Black Girls Breathing<\/a>. \u201cDecreasing anxiety and stress and regulating the nervous system\u2019s response to anxiety and stress are some of the many benefits experienced by those who incorporate the practice into their daily and weekly routines.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of deep breathing are plentiful. Research<\/a> has found that slow, conscious breathing exercises, like the 4-7-8 technique, are linked to mental function, in that they can enhance emotional control and psychological well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what is<\/em> 4-7-8 breathing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 4-7-8 breathing method, also referred to as \u201crelaxing breath,\u201d is based on principles of pranayama, the ancient yogic ritual of directing energy through control of the breath. While breathing techniques of this nature have been developed over centuries, the technique known as 4-7-8 breathing specifically is credited to American doctor Andrew Weil, who had a particular focus on alternative medicine. The simple technique involves breathing in for four seconds, holding the breath for seven seconds, and then breathing out for eight seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 4-7-8 breathing method is a well-known and widely practiced technique that involves breath regulation,\u201d explains Caroline Leaf<\/a>, Ph.D., cognitive neuroscientist and host of Cleaning Up the Mental Mess<\/em> podcast. \u201cWith the 4-7-8 method you are controlling the duration of your breathing, how long you hold or release your breath, as well as the frequency of your exhales and inhales, which can help calm many neurophysiological reactions in the brain and body.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s in this sense that breathing exercises for anxiety are often used as a tool. Many practitioners find belly breathing and lung exercises have a relaxing, centering effect; others use deep breathing to help them fall asleep. Those who find themselves waking up with anxiety<\/a> may try 4-7-8 breathing to see how it might help reframe their morning, but more on that later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, how to perform the 4-7-8 breathing technique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we mentioned earlier, the exercise is straightforward: Breathe in for four, hold for seven, and then release for eight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are ways to get the most out of it. Thimela Garcia<\/a>, author, yoga teacher, and certified holistic practitioner, suggests finding the right time and place as a start. \u201cI usually choose a suitable time during the day and place where to perform this breathing technique,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cI practice at nighttime before I go to bed as this is a very relaxing breathing technique.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose whatever and whenever works best for you, though Garcia warns there are some exceptions: \u201c4-7-8 breathing can be practiced at any time and anywhere except while driving or while executing a task that requires full attention.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also helpful: Get low and comfortable. The technique can be done while standing up, but experts say it helps to be as physically relaxed as possible. \u201cI find a comfortable sitting position, whether on my bed or the floor sitting on a cushion,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cI like to rest my palms facing up over my knees or clasped hands over my lap. This breathing technique can be performed with the eyes either open or closed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might not always be in an environment where you can close your eyes, but Garcia recommends choosing a time and place whenever possible because it helps block out any potentially distracting visual stimuli and allows one to immerse deeper into the exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once situated in the right environment, there\u2019s one last thing someone can do to prepare. \u201cTake a few conscious breaths and fully empty the lungs before beginning 4-7-8 breathing,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cDespite it being a very simple exercise, it has a very specific way to be executed.\u201d After that, it\u2019s time for the main event. \u201cInhale through the nose for a count of four, hold the breath for seven, and then exhale forcefully for a count of eight through a pursed lip, making the whooshing sound and keeping the tip of the tongue on the tissue behind the top front teeth.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you do afterward is totally up to you. Garcia prefers to do a few cycles of 4-7-8 breathing and then simply remain still and relaxed. \u201cOnce I finish, I breathe normally and stay there for a couple of minutes simply enjoying the stillness and total relaxation I feel after performing this breathing technique,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cSlowly I start opening my eyes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garcia notes that people new to the technique might feel a little lightheaded at first, so it helps to remember that it takes practice and knowing one\u2019s limits. \u201cPlease be aware that this technique should only be performed up to four times at one time and for at least one month before attempting to increase the number of cycles,\u201d says Garcia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there are ways to modify the practice to fit an individual\u2019s preference. According to Dr. Leaf, our minds are constantly<\/em> in action. So when she performs the 4-7-8 breathing technique, she likes to add three words to incorporate deliberate and conscious mind-in-action thinking: \u201cWhen our mind is chaotic and unruly, the 4-7-8 breathing can help calm down our neurophysiology and neurochemistry,\u201d she explains. \u201cAdding the words, \u2018think, feel, choose\u2019 when I do this breathing technique highlights what my mind-in-action is doing while I am processing what is going on in the moment, and it can help me intentionally start to control the chaotic thinking, feeling, and choosing that has been triggered and is causing stress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the 4-7-8 breathing method really help someone fall asleep faster?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For those who feel like they jump into bed only to spend the next two to three hours entertaining every thought that flies into their head, don\u2019t worry: You are not alone. These types of everyday anxieties are normal<\/a>. But if you\u2019re wondering how to fall asleep fast, experts say this breathing exercise can help.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe breath work pattern used in the 4-7-8 technique can be a great practice coupled with a bedtime routine to decrease the stressors of the day and its impact on the body and mind, which can allow for a deeper, more uninterrupted sleep,\u201d says Marie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just remember, it\u2019s all a process, so it might involve patience and regular practice before it works. \u201cThis technique should be performed twice a day to see great results and to cultivate a regular practice that can be more useful as a prevention tool,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cI have practiced the 4-7-8 technique when I have woken up in the middle of the night and within minutes I have felt calmer and ready to go back to sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are many supposed hacks to falling asleep, the bedtime benefits of deep breathing are rooted in physiology, specifically how the brain responds to increased oxygen levels. \u201cThe combination of saying \u2018think, feel, choose\u2019 and breathing deeply results in increased oxygen in the frontotemporal lobe, which can lead to increased connectivity between the amygdala and frontal lobe,\u201d explains Dr. Leaf. \u201cThis connectivity brings a balance of energy into the left and right sides of the brain, which can help calm anxiety and help to improve the sleep cycle by facilitating the release of melatonin and making it easier to enter into a state of relaxation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are other deep breathing benefits?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we\u2019ve mentioned, 4-7-8 breathing is often cited as a way to help reduce anxiety<\/a>. According to Dr. Leaf, people are often dysregulated when they encounter stressful or triggering stimuli, and the body can often occupy one of three states: fight, freeze, or flight mode. \u201cThere are many experiences that can lead to this heightened state, including trauma, a traumatic brain injury, or any mental health stressors,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen we feel distressed, we often can\u2019t think clearly until we calm down our brains and bodies, which is what makes deep breathing so great\u2014it can have a very soothing effect on the mind, brain, and body, which in turn can help us get into a mental state where we can get to the root of our stressors.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep breathing can also be a way to increase feel-good hormones, a.k.a. endorphins. \u201cWhen we pause our breathing and hold it in, we are filling our cells with oxygen,\u201d says Dr. Leaf. \u201cAs we force the air out, we force oxygen into our brains. This increases the amount of oxygen that flows throughout our bodies in our blood. This oxygen goes to the heart and lungs and increases the number of endorphins in the brain.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the method is used by many as a way to prepare mentally for a stressful event or to prevent the onset of anxiety, the experts say it can also be helpful during a panic attack. \u201c4-7-8 breathing allows people to feel in control of their breath,\u201d says Garcia. \u201cThis technique can be performed during an anxiety episode and hyperventilation. Long and deep exhalations trigger the vagus nerve and calm the mind and body almost immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another benefit of this approach to mindfulness is that it is simple, subtle\u2014and free. It can be performed while passing time in a busy airport or at a work desk in between meetings. And it doesn\u2019t require a yoga mat or a slew of meditation apps<\/a>. Plus, it\u2019s easy to remember: 4-7-8. The simple counted approach provides structure to the exercise, so one can properly focus on their breathing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this approach might not work for everyone, as all our bodies and limits are different. \u201cI personally do not teach any techniques that are based on counting,\u201d says Marie, \u201cas everyone has a different lung capacity and the focus on being able to hold or expand the breath for a certain amount of time most times makes the participants be in their head more than their body and trusting their body for the duration of the practice.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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