Here at Welligion, we spend a lot of time talking about breathing and the different ways that it can help not only sustain our life, but make it better.
The way that we process oxygen and expel carbon dioxide can have profound effects on the way that we feel and sleep, and so today we’re going to answer the question: what is the 478 breathing method?
What is 478 Breathing Method?
478 breathing is a breathing technique where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds and breathe out for 8 Seconds.
It’s an excellent way to rebalance your autonomic nervous system and mute the stressors most people have in their lives, quickly and easily, simply by changing the cadence of our breath, using an intentional breathing exercise that can be done anytime, anywhere.
This is how you do it:
- Breathe in for 4 seconds through your nose
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds
- Release your breath through your mouth for 8 seconds
Thats it. Simple right? Let’s dig a little deeper and explain where 478 breathing came from, What can 478 breathing to for me, How to use the 478 breathing method.
Where Does 478 Breathing Come From?
The 478 breathing method is rooted in pranayama breathing, and mindful breathing exercises that have been shown to have many health benefits.
The exact method of 478 breathing was invented by Dr. Andrew Weil who advocates for it as a great nervous system balancer.
Your nervous system consists of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
Your central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system contains the somatic nervous system which controls your voluntary muscles and organs, and transmits sensory information from them to your central nervous system, and the autonomic nervous system.
For this discussion we are going to focus on this autonomic nervous system which controls involuntary body functions.
Your autonomic nervous system can be further categorized into a sympathetic nervous system which houses your fight-or-flight responses and the parasympathetic nervous system which houses your relaxed and calm energy responses.
When your sympathetic nervous system over fires, your body acts in a stressed or anxious state. 478 breathing can reduce this over firing and help tamp down the sympathetic nervous system and charge up the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the body into a calm and relaxed state.
What Can 478 Breathing Do For Me?
Reduce Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and Stress Are often symptoms of an over firing sympathetic nervous system that is constantly in a fight or flight state.
By activating the parasympathetic nervous system and tamping down the sympathetic nervous system, 4 7-8 breathing can reduce anxiety and stress and allow your body and immune system to function properly.
In recent studies with seniors and college students alike, after a course of two months of deep breathing exercises, it was found that anxiety was decreased for the seniors and college students practicing the deep breathing exercises.
Lower High Blood Pressure
People with high blood pressure are often told that they should be practicing deep breathing exercises for 5 minutes or more to help lower their blood pressure and decrease their heart rate.
Combat Difficulty Sleeping
Sleep patterns are affected by overfiring sympathetic nervous systems and it is often difficult for people in this state to fall asleep. They may be stressed, anxious, or worried about something making it more difficult for them to sleep. 478 breathing is a perfect tranquilizer, Acting to relax them and help them fall asleep.
Reduce Pain
Pain is also worsened by heightened awareness and systemic tension. By relaxing the body through 478 breathing pain can be lessened as can anger and depression.
Alleviate Distractedness
After an 8-week exercise program of slow deep abdominal breathing (sound familiar?), a 2017 study found that the group performing these breathing exercises did better in tests of concentration, attention and focus
How To Use The 478 Breathing Method?
When are the best times to practice 478 breathing?
A steady practice of doing 478 breathing 2 or 3 times a day will yield great health benefits and help stave off some of the conditions mentioned above.
It’s a great practice to perform if you have a stressful upcoming meeting or interaction you are dreading. it’s also a great way to calm down after one of these situations. Obviously if you are having difficulty sleeping, it’s also an excellent practice to do right before you fall asleep.
How many times a day can I do the 478 breathing method, And can I do more than one set of 4?
Absolutely. It’s just recommended to start with 4 to begin with but you can progress two sets of 8 or more as many times a day as you can comfortably do it. If you’re beginning to get lightheaded, it’s recommended to reduce the number of 478 sets and frequency.
What is the best body position to do 478 breathing in?
You want to have your body positioned so that your spine is straight, either sitting or lying down, and with your tongue depressed on the roof of your mouth.
Are there other breathing techniques like this that can help enhance my life?
Absolutely. Some of the keywords you might want to look up are Pranayama, yoga breathing, or mindful breathing. Also we find the world of freediving largely enhanced by these deep breathing practices and have been fascinated by this technique used by ancient civilizations to hunt for seafood.
Final Thoughts
We are blown away by all the things this simple practice can help alleviate and prevent and hope that 478 breathing becomes a part of your daily relaxation practices for health and performance.
Welligion Media
Veronica and Brent break down how 478 seconds of strategic breathing can help you take control of a panic attack. reduce anxiety and fall asleep fast.
Listen to the podcast Here:
See the Video Here:
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