This Is What Happens If You Put Your Tongue Behind the Upper Front Teeth and Start Breathing
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Extended periods of insomnia are so common in individuals that some tend to think of it as a personal or a unique problem to them. They are forced to take pills or alcohol anytime they want to sleep. Some are obliged to engage in intense workouts just before bed to fall asleep from the physical exhaustion.
The first thing is, all the above remedies create a dependency in the body. It means, if they are unable to get their hands on the drugs or alcohol they might just toss and turn the entire night. Secondly, there is nothing unique about the lack of sleep. The Center for Disease Control states that about 40 million people in the USA suffer from sleep disorders. Half of that number has already destroyed their natural sleep cycle through the use of stimulants to fall asleep.
All is not lost since there is way back to a regular sleeping pattern. Andre Weil, a known holistic health expert, came up with a breathing technique to help people fall asleep. The method was initially meant to handle stress and anxiety by focusing the attention on breathing. Apparently breathing from Weil’s school of thought influences physiology and the mind to improve on moods. The 4-7-8 is a simple breathing technique that takes the need to fall asleep as a time conscious requirement. It can be carried out anywhere without the need to bring a yoga mat.
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The breathing technique is in 5 steps which when done correctly can significantly reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.
• Begin the process by placing the tip of the tongue against the palate. It should be directly in the area behind the upper front teeth. Maintain it there all through the exercise.
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• Breath out entirely through the mouth till a whoosh sound is produced. It helps to push out all the air.
• Breathe in through the nose till the count of four and keep the mouth closed. Don’t rush the counting. Do it naturally while taking long deep breaths.
• Hold the breath in for 7 seconds. Most people are not able to hold their breath for long, but it gets better with time. Try it only for the maximum number of seconds where it is not a strain. The exercise aims to focus on the breath, not the pressure of how to hold it in.
• Exhale the air through the mouth with a whoosh sound for 8 seconds. The idea is to take longer breathing out than it took to breathe in.
• All the steps should happen in one complete cycle that is repeated three more times to make four cycles. It should be done twice in a day for maximum benefits.
Benefits
The technique helps an individual focus on breathing instead of the emotional issues causing stress and anxiety. The repetitive nature of the method is a relaxer for the nervous system, and works by putting the mind in a state of relaxation to help the body relax for sleep.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique primarily focuses on removing all the carbon dioxide in the body. It is the reason the exhalation is twice the amount of time taken to inhale. Proper respiration is fundamental when it comes to maintaining a balanced body pH. When the body is balanced, it can easily produce sleeping hormones immediately sleep is triggered.
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Other people view the technique as meditation. It cannot be far from the truth since the breathing exercise tries to clear the mind through drawing focus to breathing. It is essentially a simpler meditation technique, unlike others that concentrate on emptying the mind without a replacing thought. It is tough to clear the mind with all the experiences individuals have. Focusing on the breathing is very practical, and just like other meditation techniques, the purpose is to help the mind and body relax for a more balanced life.
It is important not to get discouraged if sleep does not take effect immediately after a day of practicing the technique. It might take the body some time to revert to the normal sleeping patterns, especially for those who had altered it using other means such as stimulants.
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