Fall Asleep In No Time With The 4-7-8 Method
With the 4-7-8 method, you are doing a simple trick that will make it easier for children to relax and improve their breathing by controlling the diaphragm.
The goal is to take in more oxygen, relax muscles and unwind. The 4-7-8 method was developed by Andrew Weil, director of holistic medicine at the University of Arizona. It helps control breathing and normalize the level of oxygen in the blood.
This will lower the heart rate, which will help children relax and fall asleep.
The breathing exercise also acts as a natural sedative on the nervous system.
With the 4-7-8 method , in contrast to traditional medicine, the effect starts immediately. It becomes even more effective with practice and repetition.
If your child does this exercise daily, it will become a useful aid to falling asleep.
Fall asleep using the 4-7-8 method
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is very simple. It doesn’t take long and you can do it anywhere in any position.
First, your child should place the tip of the tongue on the edge of the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper front teeth. Keep your tongue in this position during the exercise.
Then it is supposed to breathe through the mouth around the tongue. If this is uncomfortable, they may try to tip their tongue slightly.
In the third step, it should exhale fully through your mouth and inhale gently through your nose. It should count to 4 in your head.
Immediately afterwards, they should hold their breath and count to 7, then exhale through their mouth again. When exhaling, the child counts to eight and can hum something.
To perform the entire exercise, it repeats this cycle a total of four times.
A simple method
With this breathing technique, your child should always breathe in silently through their nose and audibly exhale through their mouth.
The tip of the tongue should stay in the same position and the exhale should take twice as long as the inhale.
The time it takes your child to practice is not important. What matters is the 4-7-8 ratio.
If your child is having trouble holding their breath, you can start with a shorter breathing exercise. Just make sure to maintain the relationship between the inhale and the exhale.
Once your child has had some practice, you can slow down the exercise and get them used to taking deep breaths in and out.
What else helps children to fall asleep?
Make sure your child does not suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation.
As a parent, you can help your child get a good night’s sleep by establishing a consistent and reliable sleep routine.
For example, about 30 minutes of relaxing activities, such as B. Stories or a warm, soothing bath belong.
Put up dark curtains and keep the entire house as quiet as possible. This will also help your child calm down and sleep soundly.
Benefits of a good night’s sleep
A good night’s sleep has many benefits for your child. Here are some of the most important:
- It promotes growth. When children sleep, their bodies produce growth hormone.
- A good night’s sleep improves concentration. When children get enough sleep, their attention spans increase.
- It reduces behavioral disorders. Children and adults can experience behavior problems if they do not get enough sleep. These can manifest themselves in different ways.
- He improves school performance. Children who get enough sleep do better at school. In general, they are more active, more attentive and have a better attitude. Sleep problems can also have a negative impact on your child’s cognitive development.
- It reduces the risk of obesity. Children who get enough sleep are at lower risk of childhood obesity. Because the hormones that control hunger are directly related to the quality of sleep. If your child is not getting enough sleep, their appetite will take over and they will not know when they have eaten enough.
Getting your child to sleep on time is important in many areas of life. In this regard, as a parent, you employ the 4-7-8 method as a useful tool.
