Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breath (5 · 7) for a night shift, when the weather has kept you inside
A five in, seven out pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 5 counts to breathe in, and 7 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 7s | 5s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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.