Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breathing exercise for the hours after people leave — if you are doing this in the middle of the day
The pattern is 5 · 7, which is five in, seven out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 5, then let the breath go for 7 counts. Midday is an underrated time for this. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The long exhale is the working part. A slow out-breath is one of the few direct levers you have on your own arousal level.
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
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar, 4-8 breath (4 · 8) for Monday morning, after a long day or Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for a cold morning, when you have tried everything else.