Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing when you are on your own
A 4 · 8 rhythm — in for four, out for eight.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Being on your own is not required, but it does make this simpler. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 5-7 breathing, Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for a cold morning, when your attention is scattered or 6-2-6-2 breathing exercise for a cold morning.