Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
4-8 breathing for a long wait, on a day that started badly
A in for four, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The pause at the end of a long exhale is usually longer than you expect. That gap is part of the exercise.
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
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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.