4-7-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a long wait

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

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.