Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
4-7-8 breathing for creative work, after a long day
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
In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
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 the car, parked, before you go inside
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they 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.