Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for Monday morning, when you have woken up too early
A 4 · 8 rhythm — 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
A long, unforced exhale tends to slow the heart a little. You may notice it in your chest before anywhere else.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- 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 Slow box breathing exercise for jet lag — if you are doing this in the middle of the day, 4-8 breathing for a long wait, on a day that started badly or Slow box breathing exercise for a hard week — when you are on your own.