Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a noisy room, when you are at home and cannot settle
A a staircase down: three, five, seven pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts, hold for 5. Then out for 7, slowly, without pushing. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The extra seconds on the way out give your body a longer signal that nothing is chasing you.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 180 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for coming down after exercise, when you cannot concentrate on anything else, Coherent 6-6 breathing: 4 rounds for exam nerves, when you are short on time or Box breathing exercise for the hours after people leave — if you have done this a hundred times.