4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

We live in a troubled time where more and more complaints, illnesses and disorders occur. Your breath tries to warn you lovingly, but ignoring it is tempting. When you experience stress, you will breathe faster unnoticed and you may feel more agitated, anxious, and irritated more easily. When your breathing is out of balance, you put unnecessary pressure on your immune system. And we can tell you, that doesn't age well. But, good news, you can fix it! To start with the 4-7-8 breathing exercise; it's a form of paranayama. Paranayama means “controlling your breath.”

When you become more aware of your breathing during the day, this will help you to be more mindful about life. Now that you're reading this, try to be aware of your breathing. Do you notice that you are breathing high? Do you breathe from your stomach or chest?

The 4-7-8 pranayama breathing technique will help you when you experience the feeling of stress. This technique will give you peace of mind. It has a positive effect on your hormonal balance: your stress hormones, your sleep and your blood pressure.

The breathing technique is very easy to do. You don't need anything for it. You can do it whenever you want and wherever you want. So we would also like to invite you to do it during working hours. You can breathe while lying, standing or sitting, it takes (only) ± 30 seconds! And remember, it's just an exercise, not a once-in-a-lifetime time.

American doctor Adrew Weil loves this technique. He advises you to do it 4 times in a row and twice a day, for example, start your morning with this technique and end it before you go to sleep. Because it makes you fall asleep (!). When you practice it for 4 or 6 weeks in a row, you will notice that it has a big impact.

Explanation of Andrew Weil's 4-7-8 breathing exercise:

Let your tongue relax and place it against the palate in the front of the mouth.

1) Exhale

First, exhale completely through your mouth: make a 'phwwhoooos' sound.

2) Breathe in: 4 counts

Close your mouth and inhale silently through your nose for 4 seconds.

3) Hold your breath: 7 counts

Hold your breath for 7 seconds.

4) Exhale: 8 counts

Exhale completely through your mouth in 8 seconds: create the “wphwwwhoooos” again.

This is the first round of breathing. Do this a total of 4 times. Continue inhaling through your nose in 4 seconds (2).

‍