If you ever find yourself hyped up in a stressful situation, looking for a way to calm down, 4-7-8 breathing will do the trick. This simple technique is a quick, easy way to calm your nerves and soothe your mind. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds, and repeat twice. One perk of 4-7-8 breathing is that its effects are immediate; it’s one reason why the breath cycle only has to be repeated twice. Apart from helping to alleviate stress, anxiety, and even anger, it can also help you sleep. If having a racing mind is preventing you from getting good quality sleep, 4-7-8 breathing could help you out. At the same time that it’s activating the parasympathetic nervous system and calming the body down, it also gives you something to focus on. Instead of creating a mental tornado with your spiraling thoughts, you’ll be counting your inhales, holds, and exhales instead. While this breathing technique doesn’t work for everyone, why not try it and see if you’re one of the people it helps?
