We’ll tell you how to relax through breathing on World Relaxation Day.

Deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to relax and release built-up stress. But while this might sound simple, it isn’t.

For World Relaxation Day (15 August), we share how to relax using the 4-7-8 breathing method, an ultra-effective technique for soothing anxiety and falling asleep in mere minutes.

What is the 4-7-8 breathing exercise?
The American Andrew Weil, a professor at the University of Arizona, is the mastermind behind this method, also known as the “relaxing breath”. The technique is based on diaphragmatic breathing, which fills the lower part of the lungs with air to better capture oxygen.

This relaxation method slows down the heartbeat, helping the body circulate oxygen better while eliminating toxins, which makes it very effective for soothing anxiety and falling asleep.

How can you practice this kind of breathing?
To begin with, Weil recommends sitting with your back straight and leaning against a chair.

From this position, place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth. Then follow these three steps:

1. Close your mouth and inhale through your nose. Count silently to four.

2. Hold your breath for a count of seven.

3. Then, exhale all the air from your lungs through your mouth to a count of eight. Exhale strongly, making a whooshing sound as you do.

Once you have tried this method, you can apply it when you’re in bed and ready to sleep. The more you practice, the more effective it will be. The expert recommends limiting this exercise to no more than four times a day for the first month. Once you get used to it, you can do it up to eight times a day.

Sources:
La técnica 4-7-8 que te ayuda a conciliar el sueño en tan solo un minuto. Héctor G. Barnés. El Confidencial. August 2018

Así es la técnica “4-7-8″ para lograr dormir en un minuto. Marta de Andrés. La Razón. December 2021

Practica la respiración 4-7-8 y lograrás un estado de relajación profunda en pocos minutos. Beatriz Benéitez. La Vanguardia, March 2022.

This post is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)