Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for Sunday evening, if you are tired of apps
5 · 7 breathing: five in, seven out.
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. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
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
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- 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 4-6 breathing exercise for creative work — when you have just finished work, Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 10 rounds for Sunday evening, when you are at home and cannot settle or Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for being unwell, when you have woken up too early.