Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for the commute, when you are on your own
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. Being on your own is not required, but it does make this simpler. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because it is one-directional, there is less to remember than with a hold. That makes it easier to keep going.
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
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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 Tight box breathing for the early months, when you have tried everything else, 5-7 breathing: 8 rounds for a long wait, when you have already had a long week or 4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for a grey day, when you have been putting it off.