Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breathing: 12 rounds for creative work, when you are not sure this will work
A five in, seven out pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 5 in, 7 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Long exhales give the diaphragm a slow, full range of movement, which is why the shoulders often drop on their own.
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 the afternoon has gone flat
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 Double-inhale sigh: 8 rounds for Monday morning, when you cannot concentrate on anything else, How to use Physiological sigh for the morning, when you are too tired to try hard or 6-2-6-2 breathing: 10 rounds for the end of the working day, when the day has been loud.