Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breath (5 · 7) for the middle of the night, when you are short on time
Simple counts — 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Pick this one when you are short on time. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The pause at the end of a long exhale is usually longer than you expect. That gap is part of the exercise.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 7s | 5s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are somewhere unfamiliar, 4-7-8 breathing: 5 rounds for a cold morning, when you have been meaning to start or How to use Uneven box breathing for a ten-minute window, after a difficult conversation.