Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breath (4 · 7 · 8) for a stolen moment of caregiving, after a difficult conversation
Simple counts — 4 · 7 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The pause at the end of a long exhale is usually longer than you expect. That gap is part of the exercise.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 7s | 4s |
| Exhale | 8s | 11s |
One round is 19 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 95 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for a long wait, when you are short on time, 5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for a night shift, after a difficult conversation or Physiological sigh — 2 · 6 — for creative work, when you are at home and cannot settle.