The many pressures of life have contributed to a veritable epidemic of
insomnia. People young and old, rich and poor everywhere have problems getting
to sleep at night. Because the relentless stresses of post-modern life constitute
the primary cause, insomnia does not seem to discriminate against any
particular demographic … except one.
Those folks who really know how to relax and have adopted various stress
management techniques seem to fare the best with getting a good night’s sleep. Of
all the relaxation techniques one can utilize, none is as effective and
fast-working as breathing techniques. There are actually several types
of breathing techniques designed for different purposes, each executed
according to various patterns and formulas.
Ayurveda, the science of life from India and mother of all healing arts,
has much to offer the West, particularly where it concerns proper breath and
breathing exercises. The various pranayamas of hatha yoga all find their source
in this ancient system, which extols the virtues of breath in the healing
process.
With that background, an American physician has now developed a
yoga-inspired breathing technique because of the many requests that he received
from his insomniac patients worldwide. I’ts called the 4-7-8 Breathing
Exercise.
“The 4-7-8 breathing technique was pioneered by Dr. Andrew Weill from
Arizona, who describes the yoga-inspired method as ‘utterly simple, takes
almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.’
Dr.Weill claims that 4-7-8 breathing can help people fall asleep in just
60 seconds by acting as a ‘natural tranquilizer for the nervous system’ that
reduces stress and tension in the body.” [1]
Robert Harrington
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