While most of us could happily fall asleep standing up (on the train, at rush hour) at the end of a long day, there are always nights when stress, caffeine or just plain bad luck have us counting sheep long after midnight.
There is, however, a simple trick to relaxing your body and quieting your mind in record time and if you haven't tried it yet, it could be the key to getting the deep sleep you crave.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique works like this: Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven seconds and exhale for eight seconds.
Repeat the breaths and you can actually feel it working as your heart rate slows and an intense feeling of calm washes over you.
Developed by mindful breathing expert Dr Andrew Weil, the sequence is widely recognised as "a natural tranquiliser for the nervous system."
Interested in giving it a go?
Dr Weil gives a no-frills demonstration here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wg-UAYGa2A
