Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breathing: 10 rounds for a noisy room, when you feel restless rather than tired
Rounds of 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
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. Restless is different from tired, and it needs a different approach. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because the exhale is long, the next inhale usually arrives on its own, without you having to pull for it.
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
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 3-6 breathing: 5 rounds for being unwell, when you have been putting it off, Physiological sigh for the end of the working day, when you have already had a long week or 6-2-6-2 breathing: 12 rounds for a hot day, if you are doing this in the middle of the day.