Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing: 4 rounds for heated moments, if you have five quiet minutes
Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.
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. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
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
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- 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.