Breathing exercises and meditation have been practiced for centuries as a means to enlightenment. But, to bring that more down to earth, it has also been used to manage stress and promote wellness.
This very simple 4-7-8 breathing exercise demonstrated by Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, is a simple and effective breathing technique that I highly recommend (I do it myself).
This can be a baby step into the misunderstood and unfairly stigmatized world of meditation and breathing practice.
Before you laugh it off as another silly practice by the sandal-clad hippies of a long-gone era, you should know this:
Science has now reached a point where it has PROVEN the effectiveness of meditation and breathing practice.
So, if you’re stressed out like I am and like most of us are, just try it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Besides, the research is there to support it’s effectiveness. To ignore it makes you foolish.
Look, you’re going to feel like a TOOL the first few times you do it, but do it anyway!