Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing when you want to be left alone
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. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
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 minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 How to use Slow box breathing for jet lag, Coherent 6-6 breath for the end of the working day or Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing.