Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing exercise for travel days — when your attention is scattered
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. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 114 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- 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.