Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing exercise for a hot day
4 · 8 breathing: in for four, out for eight.
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. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
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 you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 exercise for bedtime, Physiological sigh: 10 rounds for a grey day or Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a reset.