Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing exercise for being unwell — when you only have a few minutes
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. A few minutes is the whole requirement. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Long exhales give the diaphragm a slow, full range of movement, which is why the shoulders often drop on their own.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 75 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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.