Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breath (4 · 7 · 8) for the commute, when you have been on screens all day
A 4 · 7 · 8 rhythm — in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 7, and 8 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 114 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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.