Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for Sunday evening, when you want to finish something
A 5 · 2 · 7 rhythm — five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 5, hold for 2, out for 7. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Wanting to finish something is a better motivation than wanting to relax. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 56 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- while you are waiting for something to start
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- 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 2-1-4 breathing — 2 · 1 · 4 — for the early months, when nothing else has worked today, Beginner box breathing: 5 rounds for the commute, when you are cold and want to be warm or Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a grey day, when you want to finish something.