Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a big decision, when the weather has kept you inside
A in for four, hold for seven, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The out-breath is where the release happens. The in-breath is just the setup.
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
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- 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.