Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a reset, if you are sceptical about all of this
Simple counts — 4 · 7 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 190 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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.