Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a long wait, when you are too tired to try hard
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
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7. Then out for 8, slowly, without pushing. Too tired to try hard is exactly the right amount of tired for this. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Long exhales give the diaphragm a slow, full range of movement, which is why the shoulders often drop on their own.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 76 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try How to use Gentle box breathing for bedtime, when you have been on screens all day, How to use Uneven box breathing for a ten-minute window, after a difficult conversation or How to use 4-6 breathing for a hot day, before you go back to something hard.