Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breath (4 · 8) for bedtime, when you have woken up too early
4 · 8 breathing: in for four, out for eight.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 4, then let the breath go for 8 counts. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for heavy days, when you are waiting for something, How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for exam nerves, if you are fitting this around other people or Soft 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 4 · 8 — for a hard conversation, if you are new to this.