4-7-8 Breathing Technique For Deep Relaxation (With Music)

A warm welcome to this 4-7-8 breathing session, designed to help you find deep relaxation and increase lung capacity. This session will feature 15 rounds of breathing, for a truly wonderful feeling. If you are new to this, just join in with as many rounds as you can, and take mini breaks if needed.

4-7-8 breathing can be used as a natural sleep aid, calming down the entire body and nervous system, and it can also be used in the daytime to help find clarity and focus. So whatever your needs today, I hope you find this practice useful.

NOTE: For this track, the 4-7-8 counting does not follow exact seconds, and the pace is a tiny bit quicker, to hopefully avoid you feeling overwhelmed by the exercise. In the future, I hope to create a version that perhaps slows down as it goes on, allowing for even deeper breathing and relaxation. If that is something that appeals, please do let me know!

Music: Cindy Locher (The Relaxation Works) 'And Love Will Steer The Stars' (Licensed)

Transcript

A warm welcome to this simple but very effective guided breathing meditation using the 4-7-8 method.

This practice will help to regulate your nervous system,

Improving the flow of oxygen and calming down the mind.

It can also be used before bed as a natural sleep aid or first thing in the morning for focus and clarity.

Take a moment to settle in,

Sitting or lying in a comfortable position and,

If you like,

You can close your eyes.

Allow your shoulders to relax,

Feel the surface underneath you and give yourself permission to let go of everything.

In a moment,

I will ask you to inhale through your nose to the count of four,

Hold the breath for a count of seven and then release through your mouth to the count of eight.

And when you exhale,

I advise to use thinly pursed lips as if blowing through a small straw as this will aid the feeling of deep relaxation.

So let's begin by exhaling any remaining breath that you have all the way out.

And when you feel ready,

Inhale through your nose for one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Hold five,

Six,

Seven,

Release two,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven and exhale two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Release two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight.

And now just allow your breath to gently return back to its natural rhythm.

Enjoy the ebbing and flowing of your breath.

Tune in with your body and notice any new feelings or sensations here.

The music will continue for a little while longer and if you like you can just sit quietly for a moment.

Thank you for joining me in this practice.

I hope you have a wonderful peaceful sleep or a great day ahead.