4-7-8

Best for: Relaxation

To start practice 3 rounds

Technique Instructions:

• Sit up with your back straight (after you have learned this technique you can practice it sitting, standing, or laying down - unless you have a tendency to get light headed, then don’t practice standing).

• Begin by exhaling 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.

If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up, but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice, you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.