Curator's note: Alternative medicine guru Dr. Andrew Weil offers millions of Americans alternative options for achieving maximum health that are less invasive and do not rely on pharmaceuticals. One of the practices he often suggests for people struggling to fall asleep is a simple yogic breathing exercise known as the 4-7-8 breath.
I personally have used a variation of this technique as a "sleep aide" for over 30 years, especially on nights when anxiety runs high and the mind struggles to shut off. It absolutely works for me.
For those of you who have occasional trouble falling asleep, I cannot recommend this treatment enough.
Please click here to find a video where Dr. Weil illustrates this simple breathing technique.
If you aren't clear on the value of using breathing exercises for relaxation and sleep, please consider that deep breathing is part of a variety of techniques practiced in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The latest research shows that CBTi (cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia) is generally more successful for treating insomnia than using pharmaceutical aids like Ambien (which are not meant for long-term use, anyway).
