Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing: 5 rounds for a hot day, when you are waiting for something
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
Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 7, and 8 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 95 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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.