Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing: 10 rounds for the middle of the night, when you have already had a long week
3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.
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. Long weeks are cumulative. This is a small subtraction. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
The ratio slows the whole breath cycle without requiring you to breathe deeply.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 150 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 7-11 breathing exercise for coming down after exercise — when you are doing this for the first time, Double-inhale sigh: 10 rounds for the morning, when you have been meaning to start or Soft 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 4 · 8 — for jet lag, when you have tried everything else.