Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a hot day, when you are somewhere noisy
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. Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Because it is one-directional, there is less to remember than with a hold. That makes it easier to keep going.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- 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 4-4 breathing: 6 rounds for a hard week, when you are at home and cannot settle, Physiological sigh for jet lag, if you have done this a hundred times or 3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for jet lag, when you feel fine and want to stay that way.