Breathing exercise · 5 · 7
5-7 breathing for the morning, when you are cold and want to be warm
Rounds of 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
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. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
A long, unforced exhale tends to slow the heart a little. You may notice it in your chest before anywhere else.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 7s | 5s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- while you are waiting for something to start
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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: 5 rounds for physical discomfort, when you only have a few minutes, Physiological sigh for deep focus, when you have been putting it off or Double-inhale sigh — 3 · 8 — for Sunday evening, on a day that started badly.