Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
5-2-7 breathing for a study session
Simple counts — 5 · 2 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
The long exhale is the working part. A slow out-breath is one of the few direct levers you have on your own arousal level.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 70 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 12 rounds, Uneven box breathing for a reset or Quick 2-1-2-1 breath (2 · 1 · 2 · 1).