Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for a long illness, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
Simple counts — 5 · 2 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 5, hold for 2, then let the breath go for 7 counts. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 5s |
| Exhale | 7s | 7s |
One round is 14 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 112 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for the morning, when nothing else has worked today, How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for heavy days, when you are doing this for the first time or How to use 6-2-6-2 breathing for after exercise, when you are short on time.