Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing for jet lag, when you are waiting for something
Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 3 in, hold for 5, 7 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
The long exhale is the working part. A slow out-breath is one of the few direct levers you have on your own arousal level.
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 the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- 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 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for the end of the working day, when you feel restless rather than tired, 5-2-7 breathing exercise for a grey day — if you have done this a hundred times or 2-1-4 breathing exercise for a long wait — when you have been on screens all day.