Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a hard conversation, when you have woken up too early
A a staircase down: three, five, seven pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 3, hold for 5, out for 7. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Hold | 5s | 3s |
| Exhale | 7s | 8s |
One round is 15 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 5-7 breathing: 6 rounds for a hard conversation, when you only have a few minutes, 4-8 breath (4 · 8) for the morning, if you are sceptical about all of this or 2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for anxious moments, when you feel fine and want to stay that way.