Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a night shift, if you have done this a hundred times
The pattern is 4 · 7 · 8, which is in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 4 in, hold for 7, 8 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
Because the exhale is long, the next inhale usually arrives on its own, without you having to pull for it.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 228 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 How to use 4-6 breathing for a hard week, when you have been putting it off, Gentle box breathing: 8 rounds for days when everything is too much, when the day has been loud or Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for Monday morning, when you are at home and cannot settle.