Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing if you are tired of apps
Simple counts — 3 · 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 3 counts to breathe in, hold for 5, and 7 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
A long, unforced exhale tends to slow the heart a little. You may notice it in your chest before anywhere else.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 5-7 breath (5 · 7) for travel days, Box breath for the end of the working day or Coherent 5-5 breath for physical discomfort.