Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing: 12 rounds for a long illness, when you are cold and want to be warm
3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 3, hold for 5, then let the breath go for 7 counts. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
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
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- 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 Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for the middle of the night — when the day has been loud, Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for a noisy room, when you need something unremarkable or Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for creative work, when you are somewhere noisy.