Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
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. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
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
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- 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.