Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a break at work, after eating too much
4 · 7 · 8 breathing: 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. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
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
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 7-11 breath (7 · 11) for exam nerves, if you are sceptical about all of this, 4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for a noisy room, when you are somewhere unfamiliar or 4-8 breathing: 12 rounds for a cold morning, if you are new to this.