Life Hack: How to fall asleep in 60 seconds

You've tried a warm bath, a hot, milky drink and even counting sheep, but you're still lying wide awake wondering why you can't fall asleep.

Many people suffer from poor sleep, with stress, mobile devices and taking work home often blamed for the lack of quality rest. Consistently poor sleep puts you at risk of medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and it can also shorten your life expectancy.

Worry no more! A scientist claims he has a way of getting insomniacs to slip into a slumber in just 60 seconds – and it doesn't involve prescription drugs or strange lighting. 

Andrew Weil, the founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, says a simple alteration to your normal breathing could be the answer. 

Dubbed the 4-7-8 breathing technique, the method is described as a 'natural tranquilizer for the nervous system' helping to reduce tension in the body. 

The trick is to breathe in quietly through the nose for four seconds, then hold for seven seconds and exhale completely for a count of eight. The steps are then repeated between two and four times. 
“This comes from yoga breathing techniques where you keep the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth,” he says. “You breathe in through your nose quietly and blow air out forcefully through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. 

It takes about 30 seconds, so there’s no excuse for not doing it, and it produces a 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.” 

Dr Weil suggests practicing the technique twice a day, for six to eight weeks until you've mastered it enough to fall asleep in just 60 seconds.

via sizzlingfeed.com