Most people breath much too shallow and that can lead to all kinds of issues in the human body. We need to breathe deeply to oxygenate our blood fully, to relax our nervous system, and to keep your lungs strong. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Note that with this breathing technique, you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. This breathing exercise is a natural way to relax your nervous system. Try it daily for best results & especially when you hit a wall with your energy dropping, do this to wake up your brain instead of reaching for caffeine or sugar or energy drinks!