3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for days when everything is too much, after eating too much

How it works

In for 3, hold for 5, out for 7. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.

Why it can help

You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 15 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 75 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
• when you are the only person awake in the house
• as a way to mark the end of the working day

Tips

• If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
• If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
• If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.

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.