If You're An Insomniac, This Simple Breathing Trick Can Put You To Sleep In Just A Minute's Time.

#1 This is Dr. Andrew Weil

Dr. Weil says this breathing trick works because it allows your lungs to become fully charged with air, letting more oxygen into the body, which helps to calm you down.

#2 Insomnia can be harmful.

Regular lack of sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes while also shortening your life expectancy.

#3 Dr Weil, claims the answer lies in simply changing the way you breathe.

"This comes from yoga and in yoga breathing you have to keep the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth," he said.

" You breathe in through your nose quietly and blow air out forcefully through your mouth making a whoosh sound. It takes all of about 30 seconds so there is no excuse for not doing it."

"It produces a very pleasant altered state of consciousness. You may not get that the first time you do it but it's one of the benefits of practicing."

#4 The trick is called the 4-7-8 breathing exercise

You must breathe in through your nose four seconds, hold it for seven seconds. Then exhale completely for eight seconds. Repeat these steps 2 to 4 times and you should easily fall asleep.

#5 Dr Weil says...

"You have to do this two times a day religiously. It will become a wonderful way to help you fall asleep. You can do it more often throughout the day."

"It is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere."

"After about four to six weeks you will see wonderful changes in your body."

#6 This exercise can have other positive health effects.

It can be used to help deal with food and substance cravings as well as to control anger. Dr Weil claims it can also help with digestion and stopping the ‘fight or flight' response in the body which will lower stress.

#7 The exercise is based on an old Indian practice called pranayama, which means "To regulate the breath."

This exercise is used widely in yoga and pilates and is proven to affect the heart, brain, digestion, immune system and expression of genes.

Research shows that breathing exercises like pranayama can alter the pH of the blood or lower blood pressure.

#8 Most importantly this exercise can be used to train help you deal with stress.

This breathing method can be used as a way to regulate your body's reaction to stressful situations and reduce the creation harmful stress hormones.

#9 Watch the video below and Start practicing the ‘4-7-8’ breathing method with the following steps:

1. Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose while counting to 4.

3. Hold your breath and count to seven.

4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound while counting to eight.

5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat one to three more times for a total of two to four breaths