(Julia Landwher/ Health) — When you’re feeling stressed or having trouble sleeping, it can sometimes be difficult to get out of that headspace and calm down. But the solution may be as easy as taking deep breaths in and out in a specific rhythm.
A breathing technique—dubbed the 4-7-8 method—has been growing in popularity in recent years thanks to Andrew Weil, MD, who has been teaching the method since the 1980s.
As the name implies, the technique involves breathing in for four seconds, holding that breath for a count of seven, and then exhaling for eight seconds while making a whooshing sound by placing the tongue behind the front teeth. After four repetitions, a person should ideally feel a sense of calm. (…)