Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breath (5 · 7) for bedtime, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
A five in, seven out pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 5, out for 7. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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.