25 February 2024 , 20:52
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One 'simple' technique could improve your night's sleep.
Sleep problems are common and have many causes. While many of them are nothing to worry about on their own, consistent insomnia can heavily impact your quality of life and studies have even shown that long-term sleep loss can put you at an increased risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression.
If you struggle to get to sleep at night, one doctor has shared a series of helpful tips you can try out before you get into bed - and one of them is so simple that we can all start doing it tonight.
Doctor Sethi, a Harvard-educated gastroenterologist from the US, shared a video on his TikTok account (@doctorsethimd) in which he explained the benefits of several sleep aids, including the '4-7-8' technique, which is an easy-to-use breathing technique that can actually help you get to sleep faster.
Explaining how to use the technique, he said: "Inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight. This technique is a simple but powerful tool to reduce stress and anxiety before bedtime."
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The technique was developed by Dr Andrew Weil as a variation of pranayama, an ancient yoga technique that helps people relax as it replenishes oxygen in the body. According to Healthline, the technique could help some people fall asleep in a shorter period of time when practised regularly.
If the sleeplessness you feel is caused by anxiety and stress in your day-to-day life, then the '4-7-8' technique may work for you. Breathing techniques are designed to bring the body into a state of deep relaxation, which helps to bring the body back into balance and regulate the fight-or-flight response we feel when we’re stressed.
Healthline states: "The 4-7-8 technique forces the mind and body to focus on regulating the breath, rather than replaying your worries when you lie down at night. Proponents claim it can soothe a racing heart or calm frazzled nerves." The creator, Dr Weil, has previously called it the "natural tranquiliser for the nervous system".
Elsewhere in his video, Dr Sethi said eating a banana before bed can help you fall asleep faster, as they are rich in tryptophan, which helps the body make melatonin, the hormone that helps you get to sleep. You should also eat yoghurt before you go to sleep, as the perfect combination of calcium and protein also aids in melatonin production.
Finally, Dr Sethi recommended cutting down on blue light exposure "at least an hour" before bedtime, meaning no looking at your phone or watching TV just before bed. He said: "Blue light interferes with melatonin production making it harder to fall asleep."