Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a long wait, after a long day
A in for four, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 4 counts to breathe in, and 8 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. Let the physical world hold your attention.
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 |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 Coherent 5-5 breathing for days when everything is too much, if you are doing this in the middle of the day, How to use Uneven box breathing for being unwell, after a long day or 4-8 breathing: 4 rounds for jet lag, when you have just finished work.