Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for a long illness, when you have just finished work
Simple counts — 5 · 2 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The ratio slows the whole breath cycle without requiring you to breathe deeply.
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 the weather has been grey for a week
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 4-6 breathing: 12 rounds for the early months, Double-inhale sigh exercise or 3-6 breathing if you have five quiet minutes.