Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breathing: 10 rounds for creative work, when you are waiting for something
The pattern is 5 · 2 · 7, which is five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 5 counts to breathe in, hold for 2, and 7 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
If you are feeling revved up, this is one of the fastest honest ways to take the edge off without pretending.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 140 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for the morning after, when you are short on time, 4-7-8 breathing for a hard conversation, when you have been putting it off or How to use Tight box breathing for a lonely evening, when you are somewhere unfamiliar.