Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breathing exercise for a grey day — if you have done this a hundred times
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. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
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
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- 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 How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for anxious moments, after a long day, Slow box breathing for physical discomfort, when you want to finish something or Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are too tired to try hard.