Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing for a grey day, if you are sceptical about all of this
3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 3, hold for 5, then let the breath go for 7 counts. Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
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
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- 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 Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing exercise for Friday evening — when you need something unremarkable, Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for deep focus, when you want something simple or 7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for days when everything is too much, if you have done this a hundred times.