Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for Friday evening
A 3 · 5 · 7 rhythm — a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 3 in, hold for 5, 7 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
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
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 2-1-4 breathing for a hospital waiting room, 4-2-6 breathing: 6 rounds for the early months or Slow box breathing when you are somewhere noisy.