Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing for a lonely evening, when you have been putting it off
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. You have been putting this off. Starting is the only step that matters. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 breath (5 · 7) for travel days, when you need something unremarkable, How to use 3-6 breathing for a lonely evening, when you have been on screens all day or 2-1-4 breathing — 2 · 1 · 4 — for a hospital waiting room, before you go back to something hard.