Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for a break at work, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
5 · 2 · 7 breathing: 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. Midday is an underrated time for this. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Because the exhale is long, the next inhale usually arrives on its own, without you having to pull for it.
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
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 Physiological sigh exercise for a hospital waiting room — when the house is busy, Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for a hard week, if you are new to this or Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for a long illness, when you have been on screens all day.